Molecular systematics and phytochemistry of Rehmannia (Scrophulariaceae)

Abstract

-The relationships between the six known species of Rehmannia were investigated.With regard to the content of iridoid glucosides, caffeoyl phenylethanoid glycosides (CPGs) and ionone glucosides, no conclusions could be drawn. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence data (ITS region, trnL-F region and rps16 intron) reveal a well-resolved topology in which R. glutinosa and R. solanifolia and R. piasezkii and R. elata are well-supported species pairs. Rehmannia chingii is sister to the rest of the genus, which is congruent with its distribution distant to the other species of the genus.

Shoot organogenesis, molecular analysis and secondary metabolite production of micropropagated Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.

“…The highest level of the iridoid was found in the leaves of tissue culture-derived field-grown plants (45.2 mg g -1 DW). This level was comparable to that seen in the leaves of plants grown directly from seeds (43.7 mg g -1 DW) but 5-6 times higher than that of the roots of both in vitro (9.5 mg g -1 DW) and in vivo (7.4 mg g -1 DW) generated plants as well as the leaves of R. glutinosa analysed by Albach et al (2007): 28 mg g -1 DW. The fact that the highest catalpol content was recorded in leaves suggest that they may be the main organ for accumulation or biosynthesis of the compound.…”

“…In turn, isoverbascoside has been found to demonstrate antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities (Shikanga et al 2010). Only one study describes the presence of iridoids and phenylethanoids in aerial parts of R. glutinosa (Albach et al 2007): it notes that ethanolic extracts from dried R. glutinosa leaves contained catalpol, ajugol, 8-epiloganic acid, verbascoside and traces of rehmannoside A. As R. glutinosa has been overexploited for these pharmacologically active compounds, it has become endangered in its natural habitat and an efficient tissue culture system needs to be established to conserve this important and rare medicinal plant.…”

Rehmannia glutinosa: Review of botany, chemistry and pharmacology

“…The content of some components may be changed after the drug processing and results in their differences of pharmacological actions though fresh rehmannia root, rehmannia dride rhizome and prepared rehmannia root have similar chemical components. More recently DNA sequence analysis technique was used in phytochemical studies of Rehmannia glutinosa and will be useful for chemotaxonomy of the species of the genus (Albach et al, 2007).…”

Phytochemistry and molecular systematics of Triaenophora rupestris and Oreosolen wattii (Scrophulariaceae)

“…extending further to Korea and Japan. Since the latter is important in traditional Chinese medicine, much chemical work has been performed on this species, and we have recently (Albach et al, 2007) extended this with an investigation of the remaining five species. Two other Chinese genera, namely Triaenophora and Oreosolen have traditionally been regarded as more or less related to Rehmannia and placed in Digitalideae (Bentham, 1846;von Wettstein, 1891;Solereder, 1909;Li, 1948;Hong et al, 1998).…”