Physical and chemical characteristics of soils in Ephedra gerardiana and E. pachyclada habitats of Kali Gandaki Valley in Central Nepal

AbstractIn the Kali Gandaki Valley in Central Nepal,Ephedra gerardiana andE. pachyclada show species specificity for physical and chemical characteristics of soils. Here, the relationship between soil characteristics and ephedrine and pseudoephedrine contents was examined.E. gerardiana grew in moist alpine scrub and upper alpine meadow from 3735 to 4156  m a.s.l., whileE. pachyclada grew in the lowerCaragana steppe and dry alpine scrub from 2629 to 3671  m a.s.l. The soil texture ofE. gerardiana andE. pachyclada collection sites were classified as loam or sandy loam mainly composed of sand and silt. Loss on ignition (%) of soil inE. gerardiana habitats (28.4 –35.0%) was markedly higher than for that inE. pachyclada habitats (14.2 –17.2%).E. pachyclada soil (pH 8.4 –9.2) was more alkaline than that forE. gerardiana (pH 8.5). The five ions (Cl−, SO42 −, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+) in soil ofE. pachyclada (Cl−, 0.01 –18.97 mmol/100 g dry soil weight; SO42 −, 1.95 –83.33; Ca2+, 3.79 –77.91; Mg2+, 1.28 –27.9; Na+, 0.94 –34.49) were markedly higher than those ofE. gerardiana (Cl−, 0.18 –0.29; SO42 −, 0.07 –0.08; Ca2+, 4.19 –4.59; Mg2+, 0.22 –0.58; Na+, 0.93 –1.40). The main factor contributing to strongly alkali soils for each species was different betweenE. gerardiana andE. pachyclada: CaCO3 forE. gerardiana and CaSO4, MgSO4, NaCl, or a combination of these forE. pachyclada. The total ephedrine and pseudoephedrine content inE. gerardiana andE. pa...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research