RESUMEN
The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of paeoniflorin and menthol on the physiological function of Calu-3 cell membrane during the transport of puerarin. Calu-3 cell was used as the cell model to simulate nasal mucosa tissues, and the cell membrane fluidity, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity were detected by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP) and ultramicro enzyme activity testing, in order to explore the mechanism of compatible drugs on promoting puerarin transport. The results showed that when puerarin associated with low, middle and high concentration of menthol or both paeoniflorin and menthol, the fluorescence recovery rate was increased significantly, while Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity had no significant change and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity was enhanced significantly as compared with puerarin alone. Therefore, it was concluded that menthol had the abilit of promoting the transport and the mechanism might be related to increasing membrane fluidity and activating Ca²⁺-ATPase.