The value of matrine extracted from Sophora flavescens in the field of cosmetics and biopesticides

Matrine is an alkaloid extracted from the dried roots, plants and fruits of the leguminous plant Sophora flavescens by organic solvents such as ethanol. It is generally a total matrine, and its main components include matrine, sophoracarpine, oxysophocarpine, sophoridine and other alkaloids, with matrine and oxymatrine having the highest content. Other sources are Sophora flavescens roots and the aerial parts of Sophora flavescens roots. The pure product has a white powder appearance.

Basic information

Name: matrine

MF: C15H24N2O

MW: 248.36

CAS: 519-02-8

Common name: matrine

Note: The source of matrine is not Sophora flavescens roots, but Sophora flavescens seeds (seeds)

Other names: Matricarine, Licorice, Sophora flavescens, Sophora flavescens roots, Western beans, Kupingzi, Sophora flavescens roots, Sophora flavescens roots, Dry ginseng, Bitter bones

Toxicity: It is a low-toxic insecticide. Safe for animals and fish

Source of extraction: Matrine is extracted from the dried roots, plants and fruits of the leguminous plant Sophora flavescens Ait by organic solvents such as ethanol. It is an alkaloid, generally total matrine, and its main components include matrine, sophoracarpine, oxysophocarpine, sophoridine and other alkaloids, with the highest content of matrine and oxymatrine. Other sources are Sophora subprostrata (shandougen) and the aerial parts of Sophora alopecuroides.

Appearance: Pure matrine is white powder

Common preparations: 0.3% matrine aqueous solution, 1% matrine alcohol solution, 0.2% matrine aqueous solution, 1.1% matrine powder, 1% matrine soluble liquid

Product features and control targets: Matrine is a natural botanical pesticide, low toxicity to humans and animals, a broad-spectrum insecticide, with contact and stomach effects. It has obvious control effect on armyworms, cabbage worms, aphids and red spiders on various crops

Difference from Radix Sophorae Subprostrata

Radix Sophorae Subprostrata

Medicinal name: Radix Sophora Root

Plant alias: Sophora Root, Coptis Chinensis.

Source name: The root of Sophora subprostrata Chun et T.Chen.

Plant morphology: Shrub, 1-2m high. Pinnately compound leaves are alternate, with 11-17 leaflets, ovate or oblong-ovate, 1-2.5cm long, 0.5-1.5cm wide, the top leaflet is larger, sparsely covered with short soft hairs on the upper side, densely covered with gray-brown short soft hairs on the lower side; petiolules are short and hairy. The racemes are terminal and axillary, with hairs; the calyx is broadly bell-shaped; the corolla is butterfly-shaped, yellow-white; there are 10 stamens; the ovary is densely pubescent, the style is curved, and the stigma is clustered with pubescent hairs. The pods are in the shape of beads. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from July to August.

Growth distribution: Grown in limestone mountains or rock cracks. Mainly produced in Guangxi.

Biological characteristics: The rhizome is irregularly nodular, with a stem base or stem scar remaining at the top, and several roots below. The root is long cylindrical, slightly curved, 10 to 35 cm long, and 0.3 to 1.5 cm in diameter; the surface is brown to brown-black, with longitudinal wrinkles and long horizontal lenticels. The texture is hard, the cross-section of the cortex is light brown, and the wood is yellow-white. It has a slight bean smell and tastes very bitter.

The main chemical components of the root of broad bean: matrine, oxymatrine, N-methylcytisine, anagyrine, sophoranone, sophoranochromene, sophoradin, pterocarpine, maackiain, etc.

Commonalities of ingredients in Sophora flavescens and Sophora alopecuroides: Both contain the following alkaloids: matrine, oxymatrine, N-methylcytisine, and anagyrine.

Matrine and oxymatrine are two alkaloids found in the root of Sophora alopecuroides. The main plant source is Sophora japonica (kushen). They can also be extracted from other plants, such as Sophora subprostrata (shandougen) and the aerial parts of Sophora alopecuroides. Matrine was first isolated and confirmed in 1958. It is a unique class of alkaloids (quinolizindine alkaloids, also known as tetracyclo-quinolizindine alkaloids) (see Figure 1) found in Sophora plants and is mainly used to treat cancer, viral hepatitis, heart disease (such as viral myocarditis), and skin diseases psoriasis and eczema.

Matrine (Sophocarpidine) is a mixture of oxymatrine and a very small amount of oxysophocarpine.

Matrine (Sophocarpidine): This product is an alkaloid isolated from Sophora flavescens Ait., a plant of the Leguminosae family, or Sophora subprostrata Chun et T.Chen, a plant of the Flataceae family.
Uses of matrine

Clinical medicinal use

1. Diuretic effect As a medicinal plant, matrine has a history of more than 2,000 years in my country according to written records. Its main functions include clearing heat, diuresis, insecticide, and dehumidification. It also has multiple effects such as antiviral, anti-tumor and anti-allergic.

2. Antipathogen effect In a test tube, the decoction has an inhibitory effect on tuberculosis bacteria at a high concentration (1:100). The decoction (8%) has different degrees of inhibitory effect on some common skin fungi in vitro.

3. Other effects Matrine was injected into rabbits: central nervous system paralysis was found, convulsions occurred, and finally death occurred due to respiratory arrest. Injection into frogs: initially excited, then paralyzed, breathing became slow and irregular, and finally convulsions occurred, resulting in respiratory arrest and death. The onset of its spasm is caused by spinal cord reflexes.

4. Anti-HBV and Hepatitis C Virus Effects of Oxymatrine Oxymatrine has shown strong antiviral activity against HBV in vitro and in animal models, and also has anti-HBV effects in humans. There have been many reports of its use in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis.

Application in Agriculture

The matrine pesticide used in agriculture actually refers to all substances extracted from Sophora flavescens, called Sophora flavescens extract or total matrine. In recent years, it has been widely used in agriculture and has good control effects. It is a low-toxic, low-residue, environmentally friendly pesticide. It mainly controls various pine caterpillars, tea caterpillars, cabbage worms and other pests. It has multiple functions such as insecticidal activity, bactericidal activity, and plant growth regulation.

Characteristics of matrine as a biological pesticide

First of all, matrine is a plant-derived pesticide with specific and natural characteristics. It only acts on specific organisms and can be quickly decomposed in nature. The final product is carbon dioxide and water. Secondly, matrine is an endogenous plant chemical substance that is active against harmful organisms. It is not a single component, but a combination of multiple groups with similar chemical structures and multiple groups with different chemical structures, which complement each other and work together. Thirdly, because of the combined action of multiple chemical substances, matrine is not easy to cause harmful substances to develop drug resistance and can be used for a long time. Fourthly, it will not directly and completely kill the corresponding pests, but control the number of pest populations without seriously affecting the production and reproduction of the plant population. This mechanism is very similar to the principle of pest control in the integrated prevention and control system obtained after decades of research after the side effects of chemical pesticide protection became prominent. In summary, the above four points show that matrine is significantly different from general highly toxic and highly residual chemical pesticides, and is very green and environmentally friendly.

Application of matrine in agriculture

Matrine is made by extracting the roots, stems, leaves and fruits of the Chinese herbal medicine Sophora flavescens through organic solvents such as ethanol. It is an alkaloid, generally total matrine, and its main components are matrine, oxymatrine, sophorocarpine, oxysophocarpine, sophoridine, etc., with the highest content of matrine and oxymatrine. Matrine is a natural plant pesticide. Once the pest touches this drug, it paralyzes the nerve center, then coagulates the protein of the insect body, blocks the pores of the insect body, and suffocates the pest to death. This product is low toxic to humans and animals, and is a broad-spectrum insecticide with stomach poison and contact killing effects. In line with the direction of sustainable agricultural development, domestic matrine preparations currently include 0.3% matrine aqueous solution, 0.8% matrine lactone aqueous solution, 1% matrine solution, 1.1% matrine solution, 1.1% matrine powder, etc. These plant-derived agents have been used to control some pests of vegetables, fruit trees, tea, tobacco and other crops and have achieved good control effects.

It has ideal control effect on vegetable piercing-sucking mouthparts insects aphids, lepidopteran insects cabbage worms, tea caterpillars, diamondback moths, tea green leafhoppers, whiteflies, etc. It also has good control effect on vegetable downy mildew, blight, and anthracnose. It is worth paying attention to development.

Main pests to be controlled

1. Various pine caterpillars, poplar boat moths, American white moths and other forest leaf-feeding pests are sprayed evenly with 1000-1500 times diluted 1% matrine soluble liquid during the 2-3 instar larval period.

2. Tea caterpillars, jujube butterfly, golden moth and other fruit tree leaf-feeding pests are sprayed evenly with 800-1200 times diluted 1% matrine soluble liquid.

3. Cabbage worm: About 7 days after the peak of adult egg laying, when the larvae are at the 2nd-3rd instar, apply pesticides for prevention and control. Use 500-700 ml of 0.3% matrine solution per mu, add 40-50 kg of water for spraying. This product has a good effect on young larvae, but is less sensitive to 4th-5th instar larvae.

Note: It is strictly forbidden to mix with alkaline drugs. This product has poor quick-acting effect. The insect situation should be predicted and forecasted, and the pesticides should be applied for prevention and control at the early stage of the pest.