Comparative study on anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects between Dao-di herb and non Dao-di herb of Huangqin / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To do some comparative study on anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects between the Dao-di herb and non Dao-di herb of Huangqin (the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis) and provide thinking and evidence for study on geoherbalism and clinical usage of Huangqin.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The anti-inflammatory action was assessed by auricular swelling induced by dimethylbenzene in mice and the antipyretic action was monitored by dried yeast-induced mice fever.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>All samples of both Dao-di and non Dao-di herbs of Huangqin showed antipyretic effect. The Dao-di Huangqin samples showed antipyretic effect between 61% to 53% , whereas the non Dao-di Huangqin samples between 53% to 43%. Six Dao-di Huangqin samples showed better antipyretic effect than four non Dao-di Huangqin samples. All samples of both Dao-di and non Dao-di Huangqin showed anti-inflammatory effect. Dao-di Huangqin showed anti-inflammatory effect between 73% to 54%, whereas non dao-di Huangqin between 53% to 34%. Six Dao-di Huangqin showed better anti-inflammatory effect than four non Dao-di Huangqin. In totality, results from analysis of geoherbalism showed that geoherbal production areas of Huangqin had better effect than that of the non geoherbal production areas in anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both the Dao-di and non Dao-di Huangqin have effects of anti-inflammatory and antipyretic to a certain extent, but the efficacy of the Dao-di Huangqin surpass the non Dao-di Huangqin.</p>

Progress of researches on pharmacokinetics of active components of Chinese drugs / 中国中西医结合杂志

The pharmacokinetic research of Chinese drugs is still in the exploratory stage so far, a great progress has achieved in the researches on active components of them since the 1980s. The progresses in pharmacokinetic research of active components of some commonly used Chinese drugs were reviewed in this paper, and the problems to be solved in future were pointed out.

Effect of Danzhi Xiaoyao Powder on neuro-immuno-endocrine system in patients with depression / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Danzhi Xiaoyao Powder (DXP) on neuro-immuno-endocrine system in patients with depression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A randomized double-blinded and controlled study was conducted in 63 cases of depression. They were assigned to the DXP group (32 cases, treated with DXP) and the control group (31 cases, treated with maprotiline). The curative effect was evaluated with Hamilton's depressive scale (HAMD) before and at the end of the 2nd, 4th and 6th week of the treatment. Serum levels of serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cortisol (CORT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) were detected before and at the 6th week of the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 2 weeks of treatment, the total score of HAMD decreased remarkably in both groups (P < 0.01), and the total score, as well as the scores of the three factors, i. e. anxiety/somatization, cognitive impairment and feeling of despair, were lower in the DXP group than that in the control group respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). After 4 and 6 weeks of treatment the total score and score of the three factors all reduced significantly in both groups (P < 0.01), with insignificant difference between the groups. After 6 weeks of treatment, the serum levels of 5-HT and BDNF increased (P < 0.01), and the serum IL-6 level decreased in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the serum CORT level reduced in the DXP group (P < 0.01), while the serum NE level elevated in the control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DXP is effective in improving symptoms of depression by regulating the levels of 5-HT, BDNF, CORT and IL-6.</p>

Clinical observation on effect of danzhi xiaoyao powder in treating depression / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect and side effect of Danzhi Xiaoyao powder (DXP) in treating depression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A randomized controlled and double-blinded study was conducted in 63 cases of depression by divided them into the western medicine group (WMG, 31 cases) treated with maprotiline, and the Chinese medicine group (CMG, 32 cases) treated with DXP. The effect of therapy was evaluated before and at the 2nd, 4th and 6th week of the treatment with Hamilton's depressive scale (HAMD), self-rating depression scale (SDS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the scale for TCM syndrome and symptom differentiation (TCM-SSD), and the side-effect of therapy was assessed with Asberg side-effect scale as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference between the two groups in scores of HAMD, SDS, SAS, and TCM-SSD. The markedly effective rate in CMG was 84% and in WMG 87%, showed no significance between them (P > 0.05). The scores of HAMD, SDS and SAS of both groups were remarkably lowered after therapy (P < 0.05). However, the score of Asberg in CMG was lower than that in WMG (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DXP shows the effect equivalent to that of maprotiline, but with obviously less side-effect.</p>

Study on free radical mechanism of guanxin II in antagonizing ischemic myocardial damage / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study comparatively the effect of Guanxin II and its constituents, including Salvia, Red Peony root, Chuanxiong, Safflower and Dalbergia wood, in scavenging active oxygen free radical (OFR) to explore their mechanism in overcoming the experimental acute ischemic myocardial injury and protecting myocardial tissue.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The experimental acute myocardial ischemic model was established by intraperitoneal injection of pituitrin to rats. OFR level in animal heart tissue was directly measured with low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pathological examination of HE stained slide of myocardial tissue and electrocardiography of model animal showed that typical changes of acute myocardial ischemia occurred in myocardial tissue, EPR showed that OFR level in myocardial tissue increased abnormally. The ethanol extract of Guanxin II and its constituents could lower the increased OFR level close to normal, thus to alleviate the myocardial damage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Overproduction of OFR could induce damage of heart tissue, its level could be measured directly using low temperature EPR. One of the molecular mechanisms of Guanxin II and its constituents in antagonizing and repairing myocardial damage is to scavenge the abnormal increased active OFR in tissue. This study has provided a basis for further studying the mechanism of Chinese composite recipes and their constituents.</p>