Abstract
BackgroundBaizhi (Angelica dahurica) has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, functional food and cosmetic product ingredient, mostly because of the high furanocoumarin compounds in roots. The cropping system of Baizhi with its unique summer dormancy feature, is easily affected by the transition of its growth stages. The aim of this study was to analyze the quantity (size, form and dry weight [DW]) and quality (antioxidant and furanocoumarin content) of taproot and lateral root from three growth stages of Baizhi; vegetative (V-stage), summer dormancy (S-stage) and bolting stage (B-stage).ResultsRoot length and diameter were lower at V-stage than the other two stages, and S-stage had higher lateral root to total root ratio. However, the highest root DW was observed at S-stage. Antioxidant activity was revealed by 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl and Fe2+ chelating assay, and the content of six furanocoumarin compounds, including xanthotoxin, bergapten, oxypeucedanin, imperatorin, phellopterin and isoimperatorin, was analyzed by liquid chromatography. Although the antioxidant activity was less at S-stage than the other stages, furanocoumarin contents showed little variation.ConclusionConsidering the high DW and stable furanocoumarin composition, S-stage is the best harvest stage than the other stages because of its richer total pharmacological content.
Highlights
Baizhi (Angelica dahurica) has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, functional food and cosmetic product ingredient, mostly because of the high furanocoumarin compounds in roots
The total rainfall is about 900 mm, the mean air temperatures range from about 17 to 29 °C, the mean monthly sunshine hours range from 70 to 230 h. It was harvested at the three harvest stages, vegetative (V-stage), bolting (B-stage) and summer dormancy (S-stage), during the following year in May, July and August based on plant appearance (Fig. 1)
Root length and diameter were lower at vegetative stage (V-stage) than the other two stages, with no significant (p < 0.05) difference between B- and S-stage
Summary
Baizhi (Angelica dahurica) has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, functional food and cosmetic product ingredient, mostly because of the high furanocoumarin compounds in roots. The aim of this study was to analyze the quantity (size, form and dry weight [DW]) and quality (antioxidant and furanocoumarin content) of taproot and lateral root from three growth stages of Baizhi; vegetative (V-stage), summer dormancy (S-stage) and bolting stage (B-stage). Summer dormancy in herbaceous perennials is characterized by: (1) cessation or reduction of leaf meristem growth; (2) senescence of most or all aboveground herbage; (3) possible dehydration of the bases of the youngest leaves at the base of vegetative tillers; and (4) possible preceding formation of resting organs in the form of swollen basal internodes (corm/tuber) or swollen leaf bases (such as bulbs) (Volaire and Norton 2006). It is expected that Baizhi roots should be harvested at S-stage, the S-stage is not necessary to complete the regular life cycle of Baizhi
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