Law Ka Yee. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 214-225). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.I / ABSTRACT --- p.II / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VII / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.X / LIST OF TABLES A --- p.XII / APPENDIX --- p.XIII / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Chinese herbs --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Leigongteng --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- Leigongteng and its importance --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Chemical components and pharmacological effects of Leigongteng --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Problems in authentication of Leigongteng --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.3.1 --- Taxonomic problems of Tripterygium --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.3.2 --- Confusion caused by other species --- p.7 / Chapter 1.1..3.3 --- Adulterants --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2 --- Celastraceae --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Controversial taxonomic issue --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1.1 --- Subfamilies of Celastraceae --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1.2 --- Subfamily Tripterygioideae --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3 --- Molecular authentication --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4 --- Molecular systematics --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- DNA sequence markers --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Molecular phylogeny --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.2.1 --- Tree-building method --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.2.2. --- Measures of support --- p.28 / Chapter 1.5 --- Objectives --- p.29 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- MATERIALS AND METHODS --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1 --- Plant and herb samples --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2 --- DNA extraction --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Modified CTAB extraction --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Commercial kit extraction --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3 --- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) condition --- p.43 / Chapter 2.4 --- DNA gel electrophoresis --- p.44 / Chapter 2.5 --- PCR product purification --- p.45 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- GEL-M´ёØ gel extraction system --- p.45 / Chapter 2.6 --- Ligation and transformation --- p.46 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Ligation and transformation --- p.46 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Cell cultivation --- p.47 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Plasmid extraction --- p.47 / Chapter 2.7 --- Determination of DNA concentration --- p.49 / Chapter 2.8 --- Cycle sequencing --- p.49 / Chapter 2.9 --- Sequence analysis --- p.50 / Chapter 2.10 --- Materials preparation --- p.51 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- MOLECULAR AUTHENTICATION OF LEIGONGTENG --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1. --- Authentication based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Sequence alignment --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- ITS region nucleotide differences significant in authentication of Leigongteng --- p.55 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Relationship of samples --- p.70 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Comparison of sequences --- p.75 / Chapter 3.2 --- Authentication based on 5s-rDNA region --- p.78 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Sequence alignment --- p.78 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- 5s-rDNA nucleotide differences significant in authentication of Leigongteng --- p.78 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Relationship of samples --- p.88 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Comparison of sequences --- p.90 / Chapter 3.3 --- Authentication based on psbA-trnH region --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Sequence alignment --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- psbA-trnH nucleotide differences significant in authentication of Leigongteng --- p.101 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Relationship of samples --- p.113 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Comparison of sequences --- p.115 / Chapter 3.4 --- Authentication based on trnL-F region --- p.118 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Sequence alignment --- p.118 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- trnL-F region nucleotide differences significant in authentication of Leigongteng --- p.121 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Relationship of samples --- p.139 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Comparison of sequences --- p.141 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.144 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Molecular markers --- p.144 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES ON TRIPTERYGIUM --- p.151 / Chapter 4.1 --- Combine loci of ITS and 5s-rDNA regions --- p.152 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Homogenity test --- p.152 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Sequence alignment --- p.152 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Phylogenetic study --- p.173 / Chapter 4.2 --- psbA-trnH region --- p.174 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Sequence alignment --- p.174 / Chapter 4.3 --- Discussion --- p.177 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES ON TRIPTERYGIOIDEAE AND CELASTRACEAE --- p.191 / Chapter 5.1 --- ITS regions --- p.191 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Sequence alignment --- p.191 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Phylogenetic analysis --- p.205 / Chapter 5.2 --- Discussion --- p.206 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Subfamily Tripterygioideae --- p.206 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Subfamilies of Celastraceae --- p.210 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION --- p.212 / BILBIOGRAPHY --- p.214