Ethnopharmacology of five flowers herbal tea, a popular traditional beverage in Hong Kong and South China.

Background: It has been a long-standing tradition of using herbal tea for preventive and therapeutic healthcare in Hong Kong and South China and Five Flowers Tea is one of the most popular herbal teas. Based on the principle of traditional Chinese medicine, the pharmacological functions are to clear heat and dispel dampness in the body. Heat and dampness are thought to contribute to a range of health problems, especially during the hot and humid season in South China and Hong Kong.

Structures and Chemotaxonomic Significance of Stemona Alkaloids from Stemona japonica.

A pair of new alkaloid stereo-isomers, stemocochinin (1) and isostemocochinin (2), was obtained from the roots of Stemona japonica Miq., along with seven known alkaloids, stemonamine (3), isostemonamine (4), maistemonine (5), isomaistemonine (6), croomine (7), stemonine (8), and protostemonine (9). The complete structure and stereochemistry of the pair of isomers were established by extensive analysis of the spectral data.

Simultaneous quantification of six alkaloid components from commercial stemonae radix by solid phase extraction-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detector.

Background: Stemonae radix has been applied in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Alkaloids are the main active ingredient in stemonae radix, so their composition and concentration levels are directly linked to clinic effects.

Objective: The objective was to develop an analytical method with multiple markers for quality survey of commercial stemonae radix.

[Identification of elephantopi herba and its adulterants by LM/SEM observation and TLC scanning].

Objective: To provide identification basis for distinguishing Elephantopi Herba and its adulterants.

Methods: Light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thin layer chromatography scanning (TLCS) methods were used to identify Didancao (Elephantopus scaber) and its adulterants Baihuadidancao (Elephantopus mollis) and Jiadidancao (Pseudelephantopus spicatus).

Results: Based on the microscopic features and TLC profiles, the commercial Didancao samples retailed in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau markets were identified as Elephantopus scaber.

Epibisde-hydro-neotuberostemonine J.

The title compound, C22H29NO4, a stemona alkaloid, is composed of two lactone rings (A and E), a six-membered ring (B), a pyrrole ring (C) and a seven-membered ring (D). The five-membered rings A and E exhibit envelope conformations (C atoms as flaps) while ring C is planar. Ring B exhibits a twist-chair conformation due to fusion with pyrrole ring C while ring D adopts a chair conformation.