Lithospermi Radix, the dried root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, is an important pharmacopoeial crude drug and is traditionally used as a purple dye. The plant is currently cultivated in the northern part of Japan, for a stable supply. However, the lower survival rate of cultivated plants and their lower content of naphtoquinone (shikonin) derivatives than those of wild plants are vital issues that need to be resolved. In the present study, we established experimental cultivation plots in Taketa City, a typical semi-mountainous area in Oita Prefecture. Four test areas, in a rain shelter or open field (S or O area) in the presence or absence of plastic mulch (M or MN area), were examined. Plants seedlings were cultivated between March and December. After the harvest, shoot length, stem diameter, the numbers of aerial branches and underground parts, and root length were measured. In a quality evaluation, diethyl ether-soluble extract and shikonin derivative contents were analyzed. The aerial parts of plants cultivated in the S area as well as the underground parts of plants cultivated in the M area were significantly larger in size. The yield of diethyl ether extract and shikonin derivative contents from Lithospermi Radix prepared from plants cultivated in the S area were significantly higher than from those in the O area. In conclusion, cultivation using rain shelter and plastic mulch was beneficial for growth and shikonin derivative contents in plants.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of environmental factors on the quality and growth of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and to validate the conditions suitable for their domestic cultivation in Japan. We found that the glycyrrhizic acid (GL) content of G. uralensis roots harvested from 10 field locations increased with the duration of cultivation. A significantly positive correlation was found between the GL content and the gaseous phase ratio at the 20-cm depth of soil during each year of cultivation for 3 years. We used multiple regression analysis with GL content as the objective variable and the cultivation period and the gaseous phase ratio at the 20-cm soil depth as explanatory variables. Thus, our model is able to explain 86% of variation in the GL content of the roots. The root productivity realized over a three-year period across 10 field locations could be classified into two types using the gaseous phase ratio at 60-cm soil depth and a threshold value of 0.10. In the experiment using a 1/2,000a Wagner pot with high (0.447) and low (0.058) gaseous phase ratio, the GL content of the G. uralensis root was significantly higher in plots with a high gaseous phase ratio. Based on the results of this multi-year, multi-location study, we propose that soils with a gaseous phase ratio of not less than 0.10 be selected to achieve favorable production of G. uralensis.

Citrus tachibana (Makino) Tanaka is a Citrus species peculiar to Japan and is expected to be useful for health foods, processed foods, and cosmetics as well as Kampo medicines. However, Citrus species can cross easily and its taxonomy and phylogeny are complicated. In this study, we performed DNA analyses of C. tachibana collected in Nara and neighboring prefectures. Phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region provides insight into the genetic relationship of these C. tachibana plants. They were closely related except Tachibanadera Temple (planting memorial tree for Shinzan-Shiki) and Kofukuji Temple, and C. tachibana collected in Nara were not a cross except Tachibanadera Temple (planting memorial tree for Shinzan-Shiki).

Dietary supplements prepared with water shield (Brasenia schreberi) extract and sake cake dry powder at 150 mg/day and 950 mg/day, respectively, were administered for 2 weeks to 26 healthy adult females. The supplements markedly increased the number of days with defecation and defecation frequency, when compared to a placebo group. Furthermore, the dietary supplement intakes seemed to improve fecal strength, shape and odor, and sense of incomplete evacuation of subjects.

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Cymbopogon citratus led to the isolation of 10 compounds (1-10), including one known triterpene, cymbopogonol (1). The absolute configurations of 1 were determined by X-ray crystallography of the corresponding p-bromobenzoate derivative (1a). Compound 1 showed pancreatic lipase inhibitor activity in vitro and reduced serum triglyceride levels in mice fed a high-fat diet compared with the control group.