AUTHOR=Li Lin , Josef Brinckmann A. , Liu Bing , Zheng Sihao , Huang Linfang , Chen Shilin 

TITLE=Three-Dimensional Evaluation on Ecotypic Diversity of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Case Study of Artemisia annua L.

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2017.01225

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2017.01225

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Artemisinin is the first-line drug for anti-malaria recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). As the sole natural plant source of artemisinin, ecotypes of <italic>Artemisia annua</italic> L. vary widely in artemisinin content between nations, and China is the main producing area of <italic>A. annua</italic>. Here we present a three-dimensional evaluation on ecotypic diversity of <italic>A. annua</italic> from 12 main producing areas in China using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) method, DNA barcoding and ecological analyses. The results indicated that <italic>A. annua</italic> exhibited high ecotypic diversity. <italic>A. annua</italic> grown in the South of the Qinling Mountains-Huaihe River Line had a high artemisinin content, whereas the northern ones were low. Similar pattern was noted in the genetic diversity. The southern <italic>A. annua</italic> had high intraspecific variation in contrast to the northern <italic>A. annua.</italic> In terms of ecological analyses, humidity and sunshine time could be the major limiting ecological factors that affect the accumulation of artemisinin. This is the first reported three-dimensional evaluation integrating chemical, molecular and ecological analyses of the ecotypic diversity of <italic>A. annua</italic>. The work will facilitate exploring the genetic basis of chemical variations and developing strategies for the breeding and cultivation of high quality <italic>A. annua</italic>.</p>