アシタバの成分と系統育成 The Components and Line Breeding of Angelica keiskei KOIDZUMI

アシタバAngelica keiskei KOIDZUMIは八丈島を原産地とする日本固有のセリ科の大型多年草である．現地では古くから，野菜又は民間薬として利用されている．本植物は根，茎，葉に多量の黄色物質を含んでいるのが特徴である．著者等は植物学的形態と高速液体クロマトグラフィーによるクマリン成分のプロファイルに基づき，産地による比較分類を行った．またこの黄色成分の単離，構造解析を行い，10種の新規カルコン類の存在を明らかにし，更に種々の生理作用（胃酸分泌抑制作用，抗腫瘍作用，ヒスタミン遊離抑制作用など）があることを確認した．そこで，伊豆諸島の地域農業の振興を目的に，高カルコン含量のアシタバの系統育種を行い，新品種を開発した．

Angelica keiskei KOIDZUMI (Ashitaba in Japanese) is a perennial plant belonging to the Umbelliferae family. Its original home is Hachijo Island and the leaves have been used as a vegetable and a herbal medicine. This plant contains vast quantities of yellow substances throughout the roots, stems and leaves, and was classified into two types on the basis of morphological characters and HPLC profiles of the coumarins components. Further, these yellow components were studies for a structure elucidation, and were characterized as new chalcones. Further, numerous benefits were found, including the suppression of gastric acid secretion, an action as an antitumor agent, an antithrombotic effect, a reduction in blood pressure, suppression of histamine release etc. For the purpose of promoting the development of the local agricultural in Idzu Islands, line breeding of Angelica keiskei with high chalcone content was carried out.