Determination of the active ingredients and biopotency in Polygala tenuifolia Willd. and the ecological factors that influence them

Abstract The quality of medicinal plants is closely related to the ecological factors in growing locations, and the curative ingredients and biopotency reflect their quality. This study determined the active ingredient concentrations (tenuifolin, polygalaxanthone III, 3,6′-disinapoyl sucrose, sibiricose A5, sibiricose A6 and sibiricaxanthone B) and biopotency (intelligence, tranquilisation and expectorant) of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. from the main cultivation regions of China. Moreover, this study discussed how 36 ecological factors (e.g. climate and soil condition) influenced these ingredients and their biopotency. The relationship between ecological factors and quality factors was analyzed step by step using correlation analysis, principal component analysis and path analysis. Nine ecological factors: annual mean temperature, annual sunshine duration, soil pH, Cl, Sr, Ca, S, B and exchangeable K concentration were considered as key factors that influenced the quality of cultivated P. tenuifolia. This study provided a novel approach for the quality evaluation of P. tenuifolia and a rational pattern for exploring the complex relationship between ecological factors and P. tenuifolia quality.