A Preliminary Study of the Chemistry and Systematics of Paeoniaceae

Yu Jin, Xiao Pei-Gen

(Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing)

Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:1987-06-18 Published:1987-06-18
Contact: Yu Jin

Abstract:

Abstract

From the root of Paeonia suffruticosa and P. lactiflora seven compounds have been

isolated. They are identified as paeoniflorin I, benzoylpaeoniflorin II, oxypaeoniflorin III,

paeonol IV, paeonoside V, paeonolide VI and apiopaeonoside VII. The contents of the seven

constituents in the root of 23 Paeonia taxa, including 19 species and 6 varieties, are determined

by means of the quantitative HPTLC scanning method. The results show that paeoniflorin

occurs ubiquitously in all the species examined and is the characteristic constituent of the family

Paeoniaceae; The paeonol compounds (IV, V. VI, VII) are found to be restricted to the woody

Sect. Moutan and notably absent in the herbaceous Sect. Paeon. This differentiation gives

a support to the division of sections in Paeoniaceae.

The chemical comparison between Paeoniaceae and 15 possibly related families shows that

Paeoniaceae is different from Ranunculaceae, Ranunculales of Magnoliales and is similar to

Dilleniaceae, Theaceae and Rosaceae in some respects. The chemical data support the sugges-

tion that Paeoniaceae be elevated to the order rank, Paeoniales.

Key words: Paeoniaceae, Peony, Paeoniflorin, Paeonol, Chemosystematics

Yu Jin, Xiao Pei-Gen. A Preliminary Study of the Chemistry and Systematics of Paeoniaceae[J]. .

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