Progress on the Study of a Medicinal Plant, Tripterygium Hypoglaucum, and Sustainable Use of Its Wild Resources

Authors SUN Hui; JIANG Shunyuan; DENG Werdong; WANG Jian

Journal World Sci-Tech R and D , 2008,1:30

Abstract Tripterygium hypoglaucum （ Levl. ） Hutch,a geoherb in Panzhihua,is one of the traditional Chinese medicines in remedying Rheumatoid Arthritis （RA） and dermatosis. It attaches more and more attentions due to its great potential for autoimmune diseases ,antifertility, tumour and HIV therapy in recent years. Its pharmacology, pharmic chemistry,toxicology and phytochemistry have been studied very systematically,and more and more new medicines have been manufactured by used Tripterygium as raw material. However, the raw material of Tripterygium depends only on wild resource for centuries, especially overexploited in recent years, which results in population degradation and resource destruction of Tripterygium in natural habitats. Historical application,pharmacology,exploitation and resources status are reviewed in this paper. Experiments and demonstration sites have been established and research works have been carried out in Miyi County, a county of Panzhihua,for more than ten year. Phytoecology,ecophysiology,resource ecology,and other crucial technologies have been investigated widely for the regular cultivation of Tripterygium hypoglaucum. These works are very helpful to wild resource protection,sustainable utilization and traditional medicine modernization of Tripterygium hypoglaucum in the Panzhihua region.

Species covered 大黄属 Rheum 昆明山海棠 Tripterygium hypoglaucum