ABSTRACT
Although the descriptions of shigyakukachotanto in “Waitaimiyaofang” and tsumyakushigyakukachotanjuto in “Songban Shanghanlun” are quite similar to each other, the specifications of the dosages of crude drugs and the water volume in the books were considerably different. Focused on the specified water volume to decoct these formulas, each reasonable decocting period was estimated, then the decoctions were prepared using hard water that was common in mainland China. The dosages of aconite root were 2-fold different between these two formulas, but the contents of aconitine-type diester alkaloids (ADA) in both decoctions were found in the range of 1.2—1.4-fold. It was suggested that in order to control the efficacy and the safety of aconite, the decocting period was well regulated by the specification of water volume for decocting at this ancient era. Moreover, the dosages of aconite root and glycyrrhiza in bukuryoshigyakuto (BSGT) formula of “Songban Shanghanlun” are equal to those of shigyakuto (SGT) but the specified water volume to begin decocting is as about twice as that of SGT. When prepared using hard water, BSGT resulted to make the contents of ADA lower and those of non-ester alkaloids higher compared with those of SGT decoction. It was suggested the specific water volume for each formula prescribed in classical Chinese medicine had considerable significance to determine the dosages of chemical ingredients in the decoctions especially in the circumstances using hard water to prepare them.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the influence factors of processing Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata by microwave-drying, so as to lay a foundation for its industrial development. Methods: The drying process of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata was investigated by water ratio, drying rate and energy consumption analysis. The aconite morphology, contents of diester alkaloids, monoester alkaloids and alkanolamine alkaloids were used as indexes to study the effects of slice thickness, water content, microwave power and processing time on aconite processing. Results : The thickness, rehydration rate, microwave power and processing time had influence on the processing process and alkaloid content of aconite. When the thickness was 5 mm, the drying process had shorter drying time, faster drying rate and lower the energy consumption, but it had a higher content of diester alkaloids and lower content of the total alkaloids. When the rehydration rate of raw aconite slices was 60%, the drying time was the shortest. The order of average drying rate was 100% rehydration rate > 60% rehydration rate > 80% rehydration rate > 40% rehydration rate. The order of content of diester alkaloids was 60% rehydration rate > 100% rehydration rate > 80% rehydration rate > 40% rehydration rate. The order of total alkaloids content was 60% rehydration rate > 80% rehydration rate = 100% rehydration rate > 40% rehydration rate. The influence of rehydration rate on energy consumption was not obvious. When the processing time was the same, the drying process under the microwave power of 550 W had the shortest drying time, the fastest drying rate, the lowest content of diester aconitine and the highest content of total alkaloid. However, with the increase of processing time, the aconite was easier to be burnt under a high microwave power. Conclusion: The appropriate thickness, moisture content, microwave power and processing time in aconite processing process are helpful to reduce the toxicity of aconite and improve the quality of aconite. Therefore, the thickness of the slices should choose 3 mm, the moisture content should be 60%-80%, and the processing time should be reduced according to the increase of microwave power.
ABSTRACT
We investigated the decocting time to prepare the formulas containing unprocessed aconite root, such as shigyakuto, tsumyaku shigyakuto, and kankyobushito, which had been registered in “Shanghanlun” edited in Song Dynasty, using the weights and measures in Houhan Dynasty when the original “Shanghanlun” was regarded to have been established. Also the contents of aconitine-type diester alkaloids (ADA) eluted from unprocessed aconite root in the decoction were analyzed in time-dependent manners. As regards the modified formula for the “physically strong patients” in the texts of tsumyakushigyakuto in “Shanghanlun”, adding dried ginger was found to lead the decocting time to be shorter and the sum of ADA content in the decoction of the modified formula to increase about 20%. It was also found that the compositions of diterpene alkaloids derived from aconite root in kankyobushito decoction were highly different from those in shigyakuto decoction, containing less ADA and more aconine and hypaconine, due to the high pH of the decoction, which was the consequence of lacking glycyrrhiza in kankyobushito formula. It is suggested that the doctors in the era of “Shanghanlun” establishment may have carefully adjusted the contents of ADA in the decoctions using unprocessed aconite root by choosing co-decocted crude drugs.
ABSTRACT
The decoctions of unprocessed aconite root (uzu) were prepared with the tap water samples collected in Tianjin and Shanghai in China, and the contents of alkaloids in the decoctions were compared to those prepared with purified water or with tap water collected in Niigata, Japan. The contents of aconitine-type diester alkaloids (ADA) in the decoctions prepared with tap water collected in China were significantly lower than those with purified water or tap water in Niigata. It was speculated that this difference appeared by buffering effect of bicarbonic anion in tap water in China to decline pH of the decoction. When uzu was decocted with glycyrrhiza, ginger, or jujube, the contents of ADA in the decoctions exhibited the tendency to have higher levels than those prepared using unprocessed aconite root singly, and also this tendency was observed more remarkably when the decoctions were prepared with tap water collected in China. It was suggested that even the decocting period was fixed, unexpected change of the contents of ADAs might be induced by the differences in the properties of water used for decoction or the crude drugs decocted with aconite root. The physicians in the era when “Songban Shanghanlun” had established may have adjusted the contents of ADA in the decoction by carefully choosing the crude drugs combined to aconite root.
ABSTRACT
Objective Infrared spectroscopy was used to study on both raw material and different degree water processing varieties extract of Radix Aconiti kusnezoffii,to observe the changes of main toxic components in processing,and thus to improve the quality of Radix Aconiti kusnezoffii processed products.Methods Fu Liye transform infrared spectroscopy was adopted to study the infrared spectrum characteristic of raw materials and different degree water processing varieties of.Radix Aconiti kusnezoffii.Results ①Aconitine and hypaconitine infrared spectrum showed that 1717 cm-1,1727 cm-1 and 1711 cm-1 is the C=O stretching vibration peak.It is a diester alkaloids characteristic peaks; ② although absorption peak of all vesicular samples had a certain change,it still existed diester alkaloids absorption peak,indicating the incomplete hydrolysis; ③ boiled aconite processing methods demonstrated diester alkaloids absorption peak shift in the water sample.Conclusion Diester alkaloids in Radix Aconiti kusnezoffii shows a positive relation with its time soaked in water.
ABSTRACT
The crude drug Aconite Root (<i>bushi </i>in Japanese) contains toxic compounds called bushi diester alkaloids(BDA), and the raw material with high BDA content has been considered suitable for processing into prepared <i>bushi</i>. Moreover, processing methods and an upper BDA content limit are prescribed in the 16th edition of Japanese Pharmacopoeia. In this study, we closely examined descriptions of high quality <i>bushi </i>in ancient herbal literature, and elucidated the relationship between <i>bushi </i>forms and BDA contents. The results showed that large-sized <i>bushi </i>with enlarged rootlets called “horns” (<i>tsuno </i>in Japanese) were considered higher quality, and the horns and the root tops (<i>hozo </i>in Japanese) were cut off when used as <i>bushi</i>. Meanwhile, chemical studies have shown that larger <i>bushi </i>contains less BDA, and the root tops and the horns contain more BDA than the root body. These results suggest that selecting larger roots and cutting off the more potent parts were processes for reducing BDA. Therefore we conclude that consistently less toxic <i>bushi </i>was considered a higher quality product in ancient times.