Hao Lu
College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi
Rangelands cover 393 million ha in China, equivalent to 41.7% of the country’s total land area. About 85% of these rangelands are located in western China. Rangelands are an important resource for livestock production. They are also strategically important for China in preserving ecosystems, as well as protecting the living environment of herdsmen. Poisonous plants represent a serious cause of degeneration as they have a negative presence on approximately 3.33×105 km2 of Chinese natural grasslands, with 90% of this area mainly located in the western provinces. The main poisonous plants that threaten livestock production are locoweeds and Stellera chamaejasme. Locoweeds are poisonous plants that belong to the genera Oxytropis and Astragalus. There are approximately 46 species of locoweeds present in the western grassland, and their distribution area covers over 1.1×105 km2, representing 3.3 % of the total western grassland. Stellera chamaejasme is a perennial herb that belongs to the genus Stellera and the family Thymelaeaceae. It is widespread across the Qinghai province, specifically in Huangnan, Yushu and Haibei Autonomous Prefecture, with an area of cover of nearly 1.0×104 km2. Swainsonine, as major toxic component of locoweeds, was shown to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis, enhance lethality of NK cell and LAK cells, reduce the growth rate of human melanoma cells and stimulate proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow cells. Stellera chamaejasme has many obvious pharmacological activites, such as antitrumor, anticancer, antiparasite, treatment of skin disease and tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis, etc. All of these pharmacological effects provide a strong evidence for exploring them as a new natural medicine in future.
