To determine the differences among cultivated , non-cultivated and imported bupleurum falcatum, contents and compositions of fatty acids and saikosaponins which are known as a major biologically acitive compounds in Bupleurum falcatum were meausred with GC and HPLC. Color of grinded powder of Bupleuri radix determined by colorimeter showed that the imported one has the highest white and yellow coloer Among the Bupleuri radix cultivated in China, Hong-siho(red-Bupleurum) produced in Yungil Province contained the highest red color. Cultivated Korean Bupleurum radix contained higher saikosaponi a, c, and than the imported ones which were cultivated in Yungil, Ankuk , and Gillium Province in China. Levels of saikosaponin c are 3 times higher in cultivated Korean Bupleuria radix compared the with imported ones. Furthermore, Bupleurum falcatum cultivated in Korea contained higher amount of palmitic and linoleic acids than those of improted and non-cultivated ones. Particularly they contain two to six times higher linoleic acid.

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