Modern Research of Calculus Bovis (Second) : the Quality Control / 医药导报

ABSTRACT

Natural Calculus Bovis,one of the precious traditional Chinese medicines,is the dried gallstone in bovine gallbladder,bile duct or hepatic duct.It is one of the essential components of the formulation of a variety of traditional Chinese medicines.Due to high price and rareness of natural Calculus Bovis,Chinese researchers have developed artificial Calculus Bovis,cultured Calculus Bovis and Calculus Bovis Sativus as substitutes of it.They are mainly composed of bilirubin,bile acids,amino acids and inorganic elements.Due to the co-existence of natural Calculus Bovisa and its substitutes in the market,and the complex composition of them,identification,quality control and material basis study of them are important issues in recent years.Currently,the quality control of them mainly focus on cholic acid and bilirubin.In order to fully solve the quality control problem of natural Calculus Bovis and its substitutes,researches on testing techniques of other bile acids or other components have already started.In this paper,research progress on the chemical compositions,quality control and the test technology of bilirubin,bile acids,amino acids and other components of Calculus Bovis are reviewed,in order to provide reference for further research of Calculus Bovis.