Sedative and hypnotic effect of sulfated polysaccharide from brown seaweed

Lisha SUN; Lin LI; Jiangping XU

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The upward attack of drug-heat is a special type of syndromes of coexistence of cold and heat, it influence the treatment and conversion of the primary disease.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the pathophysiological basis of upward attack of drug-heat.

DESIGN:

A randomized and controlled observation.

SETTING:

Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) of the People' s Central Hospital of Huizhou City.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 427 patients with cold syndrome, visiting on Department of TCM of the People's Central Hospital of Huizhou City from January 1996 to December 2001, were given warm-heat remedy. Among them 66 cases, 30 males and 36 females, got upward attack of drug-heat during the process of treatment were enrolled. All these subjects, according to their visiting order, at a ratio of 21, were chosen as treatment group (44 cases) and control group (22 cases).

METHODS:

For the patients in treatment group Rhubarb 6 g was added boiling water 100 mL and soaked for 8 minutes, then the soaking solution was given to the patients, once a day, for 3 days successively. For patients in control group Table salt 6 g was added boiling water 100 mL for soaking for 8 minutes, after the salt was completely dissolved, the solution was given to the patients, once a day for 3 days successively. The patients of the two groups were at the same time given remedy to treat cold syndrome. The changes of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyronine (FT4), high sensitizing thyroid-stimulating hormone (HS-TSH) and cortisol of the patients were detected before and after administration of warm-heat remedy, before and after medication with rhubarb. MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

① The changes of the relevant hormones of the patients with upward attack of drug-heat before and after ad ministration of warm-heat remedy. ② The changes of the relevant hormones of the patients with upward attack of drug-heat before and after ad ministration of rhubarb. ③ Comparison of the therapeutic effects in the two groups.

RESULTS:

All 66 patients involved entered the final result analysis. ①The changes of the relevant hormones of the patients with upward attack of drug-heat before and after administration of warm-heat remedy FT3 and FT4 were decreased as compared with those before treatment [(2.51±1.20),(6.50±2.30); (10.01±3.21), (15.50±6.31) pmol/L], but HS-TSH and cortisol were increased as compared with those before treatment [(8.25 ±3.75),(4.11±1.75) mU/L; (0.56±0.17), (0.43±0.10) μmol/L]. ② The changes of the relevant hormones of the patients with upward attack of drug-heat before and after administration of rhubarb FT3 and FT4 ywere increased as compared with those before treatment[(4.71 ±1.56), (2.45±1.25); (14.21 ±4.61),(10.21±3.52) pmol/L], but HS-TSH and cortisol were decreased as compared with those before treatment [(6.24±2.25), (8.35±3.51) mU/L; (0.48±0.10),(0.60±0.17) μmol/L]. ③ Comparison of the therapeutic effects in the two groups The rate of excellenly effect in treatment group was obviously higher than that in control group (33%, 5%).

CONCLUSION:

The pathophysiological basis of upward attack of drug heat is stress state of the body, the secretions of the pituitary-thyroid axis play a role of physiological protection, the adrenocortical function is hyperactive, and rhubarb can control this stress state through inhibiting the metabolism of the body.