Objective To study the relationship between alkaloids contents in Chinese traditional drug Yimu Cao ( the dried aerial parts of Leonurus artemisia ) and its growing environment. Methods Samples of the herb and the soil at its growing site were collected from 5 selected geographic regions. Reference literatures were reviewed and on-the-spot investigation conducted to understand the growth environment. RP-HPLC was performed to determine the alkaloid contents in the herb. Results Different regions had different environmental conditions, including the climate, soil, vegetation etc. Regardless of the soil, barren or fertile at the growing site, the herb of L. artemisia could grow well, but the contents of alkaloid in the herb varied greatly. The herb produced in 2 northern regions, where the soil is alkaline, had higher content of alkaloid (about 0.4%) than that produced in southern regions (0.1%~0.2%), where the soil is acidic. Conclusions The contents of organic matters, effective phosphorus, quick-acting potassium, and the pH value of the soil at the growing site were the factors that correlates with the alkaloid contents in the herb, among which the pH value of soil was the most important positive correlating factor. The alkaline soils in the north benefit the accumulation of alkaloids more than the acidic soils in the South does. The other probable factors affecting the alkaloid contents in Yimu Cao was the climate and genetic factors.%目的 研究中药益母草的生物碱含量与其产地生态环境间的关系。方法 在5个不同地区采集益母草药材和土壤样品；通过资料查阅和实地调查，考察产地的生态环境；用高效液相色谱法测定药材中的生物碱含量。结果 不同地区的气候、土壤、植被等环境条件不同。各生长地的益母草基本上长势良好，但药材中生物碱含量差异很大。产于土壤为碱性的北方两个地区的药材中含量（约0.4%）比产于酸性土壤的南方地区的（0.1%~0.2%）要高。结论 与药材中生物碱含量相关的因素有生长地土壤中有机质、有效磷、速效钾的含量和土壤的pH值等，其中土壤的pH值是呈正相关的重要因素。北方的碱性土壤比南方的酸性土壤更有利于生物碱的积累。另外一些可能的影响因素是气候和遗传因素。
展开▼
