[Variation of content of artemisic acid in different growth stages of Artemisia annua].

Objective: To study the variation of content of Artemisic acid of Artemisia annua from eight areas of four provinces around Wuling Mountain.

Methods: Artemisic acid of plants were extracted by organic solvent method. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of Artemisic acid were measured by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPLC), respectively.

Results: The results showed the average levels of Artemisic acid in May and August changed from 0.964 to 2.288 mg/g and from 1.837 to 3.737 mg/g, respectively. The average level in August was 1.5 times as that in May. The Artemisic acid in cultured plants was higher than the levels in wild plants, and Artemisic acid in plant collected below 300 m altitude was higher than that of the plant collected above 300 m altitude.

Conclusion: The biosynthesis of Artemisic acid depends on the plant growth stage,which is mainly accumulated in plant at the mature stage.