Influence of Introduction and Cultivation on the Content of Active Ingredients and Elements in Gastrodia elata

Objective: To explore the impact of different cultivation origins on the characteristics, active ingredients, and element content of Gastrodia elata， providing experimental evidence for its introduction, cultivation, and selection of superior varieties. Methods: the characteristics of G. elata before and after introduction were compared , and using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to measure the content of gastrodin, gastrodigenin, and paris saponins (A， B， C， E) in G. elata before and after introduction. The changes in element content after introducing G. elata from various origins to Tengchong, Yunnan were compared and detected. Results: After introduction and cultivation, significant changes were observed in the characteristics of G. elata, appearing similiar to the local G, but there was no notable change in its drying rate, the gastrodin content of G.elata from different production regions increased to varing degrees, with the highest increase observed in G.elata from Gansu, reaching 6.5 times, the contents of balisangan-type compounds also showed an upward trend, reaching the levels of the local G.elata in Tengchong. The heavy metal content of G. elata from various regions complied with national standards, and there was no universal pattern in element across different production areas. After cultivating introduced G. elata from Zhaotong and Northeast China in Tengchong, Yunnan, the content of Zn and Fe elements decreased accordingly, while the Mn element content increased, although the changes were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The characteristics and concentration of active ingredients in G. elata are significantly influenced by its cultivation region and natural environment. Tengchong, Yunnan, is highly suitable for the cultivation of G.elata and can be promoted as an excellent production area for G.elata cultivation.