| Abstract: | Chai-Hu is one of the most popular Chinese traditional drugs usedever since the ancient time and is prescribed principally in the treatment of fevers andinfluenza. In this article, the authors report a new species, Bupleurum luxieuse Y. Liet S. L. Pan which was discovered in Yunnan Province and used as Chinese drug underthe name of Chai-Hu. The morphology was analysed and preliminary phytochemicaltests of B. luxiense were carried out. The thin layer chromatograms and gas chromatograms of the essential oil and the qualitative analysis of the saikosaponin of this newspecies are similar to those of Bupleurum chinense DC., a standard material medica ofChai-Hu. Moreover, the roots of B. luxiense is discovered to have saikoside 2 times morethan B. chinense. The results suggest that the new species be used as a substitute ofhigh quality for Chai-Hu. |
