Aconite root has high toxicity caused by diester alkaloids, thus it was necessary to define the limiting value of diester alkaloids used in medicine formulation. To give the quality of ''Processed Aconite Root'' and ''Powdered Processed Aconite Root'' in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (14th edn, supplement II), we established the official specification and evaluation methods of standard substances. High qualitative grade diester alkaloids, aconitine, hypaconitine, jesaconitine and mesaconitine, which were useful to evaluate the purity of processed aconite root and powdered processed aconite root, were prepared and evaluated for their stability. We studied the physicochemical specification and evaluation methods of these alkaloids. In addition, an ''Aconitum diester alkaloids standard solution for purity'', which was used for the purity test, was prepared, and we also studied its physicochemical specification and evaluation methods. In addition, to evaluate the quality of processed aconite root and powdered processed aconite root, a TLC identification test was established. A monoester alkaloid of benzoylmesaconine hydrochloride was used as the reference standard in the latter test, and we also investigated its physicochemical specification and evaluation methods.

In order to investigate the relationship between the chemical composition of essential oils and haplotypes of the psbA-trnH intergenic spacer region of chloroplast DNA (psbA-trnH) in Valerianae Fauriei Radix (Japanese Valerian; JV), we analyzed the DNA sequence and GC-MS metabolome of JV from Japanese markets and of herbal specimens from related species. DNA analysis revealed that JV products from Japan consisted of three haplotypes, namely AH-1, -2 and -5 reported in our previous study. The GC-MS metabolome revealed five chemotypes (J 1 , J 2 , C, K and O), of which J 1 , J 2 and C were detected in the JV products from Japan. Chemotypes J 1 and J 2 , with kessyl glycol diacetate (KGD) as the main volatile component, were found in the products of Japanese origin whereas chemotype C, with 1-O-acetyl-2,10-bisaboladiene-1,6-diol (ABD), was found in the products of Chinese and Korean origin. The haplotypes were correlated with the chemotypes: haplotype AH-1 for chemotype J 1 , AH-2 for chemotype J 2 and AH-5 for chemotype C, suggesting that the chemical diversity of JV is not attributed to the environmental factors rather to the genetic factors. Since KGD and ABD were reported to have sedative effects and nerve growth factor (NGF)-potentiating effects, respectively, understanding the chemotypes and selecting an appropriate one would be important for the application of JV. The psbA-trnH haplotypes could be useful DNA markers for the quality control and standardization of JV.