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Planta Med 2006; 72(3): 278-280
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-916199
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Time-Course Accumulation of Main Bioactive Components in the Rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong

Song-Lin Li1 , 3 , Ge Lin1 , Yun-Kau Tam2
  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong SAR
  • 2Kinetana Hong Kong Herbal Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong SAR.
  • 3Current address: Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines and Department of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P. R. China
Further Information

Publication History

Received: April 18, 2005

Accepted: August 10, 2005

Publication Date:
05 December 2005 (online)

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Abstract

Fresh rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb, were collected monthly from a cultivating base in China practicing good agriculture practice (GAP). These samples were analyzed by HPLC-UV for their main chemical ingredients. Senkyunolide A (6), coniferyl ferulate (7) and Z-ligustilide (8) were identified as the major ingredients. The accumulation of the main ingredients with time in the herb was elucidated. Both individual and total contents of all main components gradually increased from the beginning of October to the middle of next April. The weight of a single rhizome reached a plateau at the end of May, whilst the content of the major ingredients peaked in the middle of April. Based on these results, it is recommended that Rhizoma Chuanxiong be harvested between the middle of April and the end of May.

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Ge Lin

Department of Pharmacology

Faculty of Medicine

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Shatin

N. T.

Hong Kong

SAR

Phone: +852-2609-6824

Fax: +852-2603-5139

Email: linge@cuhk.edu.hk