Field Survey of <i>Ephedra</i> Plants in Central Asia (1). Characterization of <i>Ephedra equisetina</i>, <i>Ephedra intermedia</i>, and Their Putative Hybrids Collected in the Zaravshan Mountains of Tajikistan

Abstract

Field surveys of Ephedra plants were conducted in the Zaravshan Mountains of Tajikistan. E. equisetina, E. intermedia, and their putative hybrids were collected. They were identified based on their phenotypes and their sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region. Sequencing and species-specific PCR analyses of their ITS1 sequences revealed six putative hybrids of E. equisetina and E. intermedia. The total ephedrine and pseudoephedrine content of most of the Ephedra samples collected in Tajikistan were higher than the 0.7% lower limit prescribed by the Japanese pharmacopoeia, 17th edition (JP17), and varied from 0.34 to 3.21% by dry weight. The total alkaloid level of E. intermedia (11E08-1) cultivated in Japan varied from 1.77 to 2.30% by dry weight, which was much higher than the 0.7% lower limit prescribed by JP17.

Genetic structuring of Ephedra an important medicinal plant from low to high altitudinal zones of Balochistan, Pakistan

“…Earlier number of important species native to Pakistan were observed in various forms on exposed, dry rocks at altitudes ranging from 2500 to 5000 m. A notable variation is found amongst the species due to varied geographical location, climate change, or any other influence by ecological diversity. Ephedra plant is a small woody, highly branched shrub, seldom exceeding 2 m in height; some species like E. foliata have a straggling or climbing stem, which is green, fistular, fluted, long jointed phylloclade, yellowish green to olive-green when young are in agreement with earlier explained morphology (Hayashi et al 2019).…”

Comparison of Non-ephedrine Constituents from <i>Ephedra</i> Plants Cultivated in Japan

“…A larger amount of PEp accumulated in Ephedra plant 5880 than in Ep, that is a characteristic feature of E. intermedia. 17) Moreover, sequence analysis of ITS1 region of Ephedra plant 5880 was identical to that of E. intermedia (AY755758). The second Ephedra plant (5879), introduced from Moscow as E. fragilis Desf., was identified as E. foeminea Forssk.…”

“…Ephedra plants cultivated in the Herbal Garden of Iwate Medical University (IMU-ESI, 11E08-1, and 12E37-1), presented in Table 3, were grown outdoors for >3 years. 17) Commercially available Ephedra were purchased Takasago Yakugyo Inc. (Lot No. 102212; Osaka, Japan) and Tochimoto Tenkaido Co., Ltd. (Lot No.…”

Interpol Review of Drug Analysis 2019-2022

“…2019 study of the Chloroplast genomes of the three Ephedra species encoded 118 genes, including 73 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 ribosomal RNA genes [ 309 ]; field surveys of Ephedra plants in the Zarayshan Mountains of Tajikistanto to determine total ephedrine and pseudoephedrine content [ 310 ]; characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedraceae) [ 311 ]; chloroplast genome of Ephedra sinica (Ephedraceae) [ 312 ]; LC-MS/MS method for the determination of ephedrine in various food supplements [ 313 ]; capillary electrochromatography separation of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine isomers [ 314 ]; 2020 review of characterization methods to isolate compounds of Ephedra species characterized by MS-based techniques LC-MS, LC-ESI-MS, HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS, LC-DAD-ESI/MSn, LC/Orbitrap MS, etc. [ 315 ]; characterization of difference fractions of ephedra extracts and ephedrine alkaloids [ 316 ]; 2021 LC/MS quantitative analysis of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in Ephedrae herba [ 317 ]; phytochemical fingerprint profile of the bioactive compounds from Ephedra fragilis including optimization of extraction and chemical characterization using RP-HPLC [ 318 ]; HPTLC supplemented with injection port derivatization GC-MS for analysis of ephedra herbal extracts [ 319 ]; DART-TOF-MS applied to whole plant bio-imaging of Ephedrae Herba for localization of major Ephedra Alkaloids [ 320 ]; identification of plant materials containing ephedrine alkaloids using DNA barcoding and TaqMan real-time PCR assay [ 321 ]; 2022 comparison of volatile oils and primary metabolites of raw and honey-processed ephedrae herba by GC-MS and chemometrics [ 322 ]; qualitative profiling of Ephedra alata monjauzeana using RP-HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS [ 323 ]; relationship between ephedrine alkaloid profile in Ephedra gerardiana and soil characteristics [ 324 ]; characterization of the phyto-chemical profile of Ephedra alata subsp.…”