ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare the thermal resistance of Curculigo orchioides and wine-broiled C. orchioides by pharmaco- dynamic index, and to explore the processing principle "heat by heat gain" of wine-broiled C. orchioides. Methods: The "heat" influence of raw C. orchioides and processing principle "heat by heat gain" of wine-broiled C. orchioides were determined by comparing the effects of raw and processed C. orchioides on 16 kinds of indicators in the serum of model rats with kidney Yang deficiency-cold syndrome induced by hydrocortisone, such as adrenaline (Adr), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), cAMP/cGMP value, three iodine thyronine (T3), four iodine thyronine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), testosterone (Ts), Na+, K+-ATP enzyme, glucose (Glu), total cholesterol (TC), total protein (TP), and triglyceride (TG). Results: The raw C. orchioides effectively reduced the contents of triglycerides and cGMP, and improved the 14 indicators in the serum of model rats with kidney Yang deficiency-cold syndrome induced by hydrocortisone, such as Adr, NE, DA, 5-HT, cAMP, T3, T4, TSH, Ts, Na+, K+-ATP enzyme, Glu, TC, TP, and the ratio of cAMP/cGMP. The effects of wine-broiled C. orchioides on increasing 12 indexes such as Adr, NE, 5-HT, cAMP, T3, T4, TSH, Ts, Na+, K+-ATP enzyme, Glu, TC, and TP were more significant with obvious differences (P < 0.05, 0.01) than the raw C. orchioides group. Conclusion: The "heat" influence of C. orchioides is enhanced after broiled by wine, and the processing principle "heat by heat gain" has been established. The "heat" influence is impoved by enhancing the material energy metabolism, improving the functions of the central neurotransmitter and pituitary-adrenal axis, cyclic nucleotide level, and target axis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To establish an objective method for evaluating the intrinsic characteristics between cold and hot nature of Chinese materia medica(CMM)through the different effects of Mahuang decoction(MHD)and Maxing Shigan decoction(MSD)on animal temperature tropism.Methods The equipment with cold/hot pads was used to investigate the variety ofthe temperature tropism between two groups of mice treated by MHD and MSD,respectively.Meanwhile,the activities ofadenosine triphosphatase(ATPase),superoxide dismutase,succinate dehydrogenase,and malondialdehyde were measured.Results After treated by MHD,the macroscopic behavioral index of remaining rate on warm pad(40 ℃)of mice decreasedsignificantly(P < 0.05),suggesting the enhancement of cold tropism,meanwhile,the internal indices of ATPase activity and oxygen consuming volume increased significantly(P < 0.05),suggesting the enhancement of energy metabolism.On theother hand,the above-mentioned indices in MSD group changed on the inverse way.Conclusion The relative drug natureof MHD and MSD revealed in this study is consistent with the theoretical prognostication or definition.It indicates that theinternal cold and hot nature of CMM could be reflected in ethological way on the changes of animal temperature tropismwhich might be internally regulated by body energy metabolism.
ABSTRACT
The scientific investigation on the nature of Chinese materia medica(CMM)has stepped into a critical moment.In this paper,the objectivity of the CMM nature and some other relevant existing problems are discussed based on retrospective and prospective analyses.It could be concluded that there is a duality about the objective connotation of the CMM nature.In order to get a significant breakthrough in near future in the scientific investigation on the CMM nature,the goal,strategy,and methodology should be reconsidered and adjusted.Cold and heat,the most radical and important elements of the CMM nature should be treated as the most principal task in the field.The key scientific issues can be refined to establish a set of objective and scientific evaluating system for the CMM nature,and to elucidate its objective conno- tation.In view of restoration to integration as well as thermodynamic expression,a set of new ideas and methods for the investigation on the CMM nature has been put forward in this paper.