Molecular analyses of the Chinese herb Leigongteng (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f.)

Sue Ka-Yee Law; Mark P Simmons; Natascha Techen; Ikhlas A Khan; Ming-Fang He; Pang-Chui Shaw; Paul Pui-Hay But

doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.10.015

Molecular analyses of the Chinese herb Leigongteng (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f.)

Phytochemistry. 2011 Jan;72(1):21-6. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.10.015. Epub 2010 Nov 19.

Authors

Sue Ka-Yee Law¹, Mark P Simmons, Natascha Techen, Ikhlas A Khan, Ming-Fang He, Pang-Chui Shaw, Paul Pui-Hay But

Affiliation

¹ Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, PR China.

PMID: 21094504
DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.10.015

Abstract

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f., known as Leigongteng (Thunder God Vine) in traditional Chinese medicine, has attracted much attention for its applications in relieving autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, and for treating cancer. Molecular analyses of the ITS and 5S rDNA sequences indicate that T. hypoglaucum and T. doianum are not distinct from T. wilfordii, while T. regelii should be recognized as a separate species. The results also demonstrate potential value of rDNA sequence data in forensic detection of adulterants derived from Celastrus angulatus in commercial samples of Leigongteng.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

DNA / chemistry
DNA / genetics
Databases, Genetic
Drugs, Chinese Herbal / analysis
Drugs, Chinese Herbal / chemistry*
Phylogeny
Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
Species Specificity
Tripterygium / chemistry*
Tripterygium / genetics*

Substances

Drugs, Chinese Herbal
DNA