Survey for Approximate Composition and Mineral Content of Medicinal Herbs

Approximate composition and mineral content of eighty seven medicinal herbs marketed in Korea was analyzed on the basis of their dried weight. From the results anlyzed, it was known that Acanthopanax sessiliflorum Seem. (22.4%), Portulaca oleracea L. (20.6%), Torilis japonica DC. (15.0%) in crude ash, Ziziyphus spinosa Hu. (39.9%), Alisma orientale Juzep. (30.6%), Lepidium latifolium L. (28.8%), Cassia tora L. (27.5%) in crude protein, Ziziyphus spinosa Hu. (27.9%), Xantnium strumarium L. (24.0%), Perilla frutescens var. acuta Kude (22.8%), Benincasa hispida Cong. (22.4%) in crude lipid, Vitex rotundifolia L. (59.5%), Ganoderma lucidum Karst (53.9%), Pinus densifiora Sieb. et Zucc. (46.4%), Sambucus williamsii Hanse (41.2%) in crude fiber, and Poria cocos Wolf (91.2%), Gastrodiae elata Blume (87.9%), Gentiana scabra Bunge (86.3%), Rehnannia glutinosa Libosch (86.0%) in nitrogen free extract exhibited higher content than other kinds. Phosphrous contents were 1.5, 1.1 and 1.0% in order of Taxillus chinensis Danser, Malva verticillata L., Nelumbo nucifera Gaeten, and magnesium contents were 0.7, 0.5 and 0.5% in the order of Saururus chinesis Baill., Salivia milltriorrhiza Bunge and Pueraria thunberglans Benth. Calcium contents of Cimicifuge heradeifolia Komarov, Acanthopanax sessiliflorum Seem. and Rhus vericiflura Stokes were 8.5, 7.1 and 3.0%, and potassium contents of Tricholoma matsutake Sing., Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Achyranthes japonica Nakai were 5.6, 5,4 and 4.7%, respectively. Sodium contents were 2.1, 0.6 and 0.3% in the order of Boshinakia rossica Fedtsch., Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. and Prunus mume Seib., and iron contents were 0.3, 0.2 and 0.2% in the order of Cirsium japonicum var, ussuriense Kitamuraa, Gentiana scabra Bunge and Phlomis umbrosa Turcz.