ABSTRACT
This paper analyzes and summarizes the multifunctional regularity of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma (rhubarb) in ancient and modern medicine based on text data mining approach. The 7 226 ancient prescriptions containing rhubarb in traditional Chinese medicine prescription database and 736 formulas of modern Chinese medicine prescriptions containing rhubarb in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition) and Yaozhi network were screened and summarized respectively. The proportion of rhubarb in prescriptions, preparation methods, compatibility drugs, efficacy and disease attributions were determined, and the relationships between rhubarb preparation methods and efficacy, disease attributions were also explored. Through data mining, in addition to direct oral administration and mostly being used for the treatment of internal medicine diseases, rhubarb was orally taken with water decoction in ancient times while wine-treated rhubarb now commonly used in pediatrics as well to remove accumulation with purgation and clear heat and purge fire. When rhubarb plays a role in cooling blood and detoxifying, it was often used externally or taken in the form of water decoction in the past. In modern times, rhubarb is usually taken in by alcohol extraction method, and is also applied in surgery. To eliminate blood stasis and remove obstruction in the channels, wine decoction or taken with wine was used primarily in ancient times while taken orally with water decoction is focused on today, mainly for gynecology. For eliminating dampness and removing jaundice, rhubarb was mostly used orally with water decoction in the past instead of wine decoction or wine and water co-decoction nowadays, and mainly used for treating pediatric diseases. In ancient prescriptions, rhubarb was often combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and now used with Scutellariae Radix. In the efficacy of eliminating blood stasis, compatibility drugs were focused on Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Cinnamomi Cortex, and Aucklandiae Radix in the past and used mostly with Paeoniae Radix and Toxicodendri Resina today. These findings provide reference for the accurate clinical use of rhubarb and the creation of related drugs.
ABSTRACT
Although compatibility is highly advocated in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), inappropriate com-bination of some herbs may reduce the therapeutic action and even produce toxic effects. Kansui and licorice, one of TCM"Eighteen Incompatible Medicaments", are the most representative cases of improper herbal combination, which may still be applied simultaneously under given conditions. However, the potential mechanism of their compatibility and incompatibility is unclear. In the present study, two different ratios of kansui and licorice, representing their compatibility and incompatibility respectively, were designed to elucidate their interaction by comparative plasma/tissue metabolomics and a heatmap with relative fold change. As a result, glycocholic acid, prostaglandin F2a, dihydroceramide and sphin-ganine were screened out as the principal alternative biomarkers of compatibility group; sphinganine, dihydroceramide, arachidonic acid, leukotriene B4, acetoacetic acid and linoleic acid were those of in-compatibility group. Based on the values of biomarkers in each tissue, the liver was identified as the compatible target organ, while the heart, liver, and kidney were the incompatible target organs. Furthermore, important pathways for compatibility and incompatibility were also constructed. These results help us to better understand and utilize the two herbs, and the study was the first to reveal some innate characters of herbs related to TCM"Eighteen Incompatible Medicaments".
ABSTRACT
The dose-toxicity-effect relationship between licorice combined with rhubarb in purgation was studied. A total of 108 ICR mice were divided into control group,model group,positive group,low,medium and high-dose rhubarb groups,and low,medium and high-dose rhubarb-liquorice decoction group. After 6 days of continuous administration of loperamide hydrochloride,the constipation model of mice was replicated,and each group was given lactulose,different doses of rhubarb and rhubarb-liquorice decoction for 14 days. After administration,the defecation characteristics,blood biochemistry,liver,kidney and colon pathological changes in each group were compared. Based on the objective weight given by factor analysis,the dose-toxicity-effect relationship was comprehensively analyzed by multi-index scoring method. Two common factors were extracted by factor analysis,representing effect and toxicity respectively. The results showed that rhubarb could exert a diarrhea effect at the dosage of 1/2,2 and 8 times of the high limit set forth in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,increase the defecation volume and the intestinal tract propulsion rate,reduce the time of anal and the oral transmission,and increase the water content of feces. The combination with licorice could alleviate its diarrhea effect,especially at the dosage of 1/2 times of the high limit set forth in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However,rhubarb showed obvious hepatic and colon toxicities at the dosage of 2 and 8 times of the high limit set forth in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,and the combination with licorice could significantly reduce its toxicity. It shows that licorice has a " mediating" effect on rhubarb by alleviating the purgation property and reducing the toxicity.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Cathartics , Pharmacology , Colon , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Glycyrrhiza , Chemistry , Kidney , Liver , Mice, Inbred ICR , Plant Extracts , Pharmacology , Rheum , Chemistry , Toxicity TestsABSTRACT
The combination of ginkgo ketoester tablet - donepezil (GD) is a popular combination commonly used in clinic for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. To evaluate the learning and memory improving ability of different proportions of the two drugs. We optimized the ratio of GD for treatment of dementia using a mouse model. Dementia was induced by multiple neuronal damages in mice. The experimental protocols were approved by the Animal Experimental Ethical Committee of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and all the procedures were strictly conducted in accordance with ethical principle of animal use and care. Morris water maze, brain hematosylin-eosin staining and the changes of the neurotransmitters and related enzymes in the plasma or brain tissues were tested to determine the effect of GD on dementia mice. The results showed that the dementia mice were significantly different from the normal group in terms of behavior, pathological sections and related indicators. Compared to the dementia mice, partial administration groups could improve learning and memory ability as well as indexes in the blood and brain tissues. Both the principal component analysis and multi-attribute comprehensive index methods were used to comprehensively evaluate the total effect of GD on anti-dementia. The results showed that the combination of two drugs at the dose of 0.5 to 1 times was in a dose-effect relationship, and the dose of 1 (the clinical equivalent) had the best treatment effect. Then based on the optimal dose, GD 1∶1 had best effect, which was consistent with the clinical use of two drugs. This provides scientific basis for more effective application of the compatibility between ketoester tablet and donepezil for modern clinic medicine.