Studies on Formation of Stele Division and Accumulation of Gentiopicroside of Gentiana macrophylla Pall.’Root

The formation of stele schizogenous structures,the accumulation parts of effective constituents,and the relationship between structure and accumulation of effective constituents in the root of Gentiana macrophylla Pall.were researched systematically by means of plant anatomy,histochemistry,analytical chemistry and modern instrumental analysis technique.The results showed that:(1) The occurrence of stele schizogenesis in the root was caused by the abnormal activities of the vascular cadmium and xylem parenchyma cells,which caused the original vascular cylinder to divide into several relatively independent cylinders.Each of these vascular cylinders was then surrounded by suberized cells and,as a result,the axial root split into several rootlets.(2) The effective constituents were mainly present in the xylem and blast parenchyma cells of the vascular tissue.(3) The content of gentiopicrin in the split part of the root was 60% of that in the unsplit part.