Polygonum cuspidatum P.E.
Latin name: Polygonum cuspidatum
Chinese name: Hu Zhang
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Polygonum
Plant original: Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb.
Part used: Rhizome
Specification: Resveratrol 1%--98% Test By HPLC
1 The summary
The protophyte of Polygonum is regarded as rhizome and root of
Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc., perennial herbaceous, being
one of the Chinese medicinal herbs most in use in ancient China.
ShapePerennial herbaceous, with height 1—1.5m. Rhizome lays across
underground, in yellow color. Stem is coarse & strong,
straight, with no hairs on the surface, and small flower in pale or
light pale-green color.
CultivationFond of warm weather in nature, Polygonum better grows
in moist & loose soil. Choose the arenaceous soil rich of humus
when cultivating. It’s also suitable to be cultivated by the ditch,
in woodland of the hillside, and in front of or behind the house.
Before soil preparation, apply tens of Kg of organic fertilizer per
Mu. Plough the fields deep to 20—30cm. Prepare the earth as bed
after ploughing. Planting method1. Seed breedingDig a pit with
space 33x33cm between in the middle of April, in which sow 8—9
pieces of seed. Cover soil with 3cm thick, then watering later. 2.
Breeding by rootBefore sprouting in early spring, excavate the
mother plant, cut the rhizome to small pieces about 15—20cm long,
dig the ditches upto 7—10cm deep according to a row space of 66cm.
Put 2 pieces of rhizome in horizontal direction every 45cm of
space, cover the soil and press tightly. No need to water for the
moisture soil. Thin out seedling at 7—10cm of length. Leave 1—2
strong plants in every ditch, intertill and remove weeds in time
during growth period. Do topdressing 3 times a year, with
nitrogenous fertilizer in spring and phosphate & potash
fertilizer in summer, along with keeping the fields moisture. Pay
attention to preventing from aphid, epicauta arorha and scarab.
HarvestAdministration by root and rhizome, Polygonum can be digged
both in spring and autumn. Root-like stem and stem, leaf are better
to be gathered during spring and summer. And the root is better to
be gathered in spring and autumn. Cut it to pieces while fresh
after cleaning and then leave to dry in the sunshine. Those with
strong root and non-withered inside are considerably as good ones.
Remove the fibrous root and the tail, cut to pieces after cleaning,
leave to dry in the sunshine, keep in dry places. Be cautious of
mould-proof & worm-eaten. Prepared small pieces should be
stored in wooden case and jar.
DistributionPolygonum most grows in ravine, by the river and in
shady-warm places under trees, mainly distributed in the south of
Changjiang River, Shan’xi, Henan and Shandong provinces in China.
2 The main chemical composition
There are mainly anthraquinones, stilbenes, flavonoids,
naphthoquinone, polysaccharides, amino acids and trace elements in
Polygonum Cuspidatum.
(1)Anthraquinones
With two classifications in Polygonum: 1) dissociative
chinones：Mainly as emodin, chrysophanol, rhein, physcion, questin
& fallacinol.2) anthraquinonic glycoside: mainly as
physcion-8--D-glucoside & emodin-8--D-glucoside.
(2) Stilbenes：
Stilbene is the major functional ingredient in Polygonum, mainly as
resveratrol, polydatin, with the structure as below:
resveratrol,
CAS 501-36-0
C14H12O3; 228.25
Chromaticity acicular
crystalmp254～257℃UVmax(MeOH)nm(lg):216（4.40）306（4.47）322（4.45）IRmax(KBr)cm-1：3260161015901510,1250,970.MS/z:228(M+,100),211(5)199(3),114(3),76(2)
1HNMR13CNMR
(3) Flavonoids:
Flavonoids in Polygonum contains glucofrangulin, quercetin,
quercetin-3-arabinoside,quercetin 3 - rhamnoside, quercetin 3 -
glucoside, quercetin-3-galactoside, luteolin-7-glucoside &
three kinds of derivative of protocatechuic acid, (+)-catechin,
2,5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone in apigenin.
(4) Naphthoquinone & anthraquinonic glycoside
There are 2-methoxy-6-acetylmethyljuglone & torachrysone 8 O D
- glucoside in naphthoquinone & anthraquinonic glycoside, which
are isolated from Polygonum.
(5) Other ingredients:
There are 7 hydroxy 4 methoxy 5 - methylcoumarin in Polygonum.
Polygonum still contains of free amino acids, and inorganic
elements such as Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, K, Se & Mo, further with
palmitate, stearic acid and arachidonic acid.
3Efficacy & mechanism to anti-cancer and to strengthen immunity
Resveratrol in Polygonum is the major active ingredient, which has
effect to anti-cancer and to strengthen immunity through research.
Resveratrol has very strong effect to clear oxidant free radical,
along with inhibiting the damage and mutation to the body caused by
free radical. The research to cytology based on in vitro cancer
cell proved that Resveratrol could inhibit the breeding of various
cancer cel
