Verification of the formulation and efficacy of Danggui Buxue Tang (a decoction of Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae Sinensis): an exemplifying systematic approach to revealing the complexity of Chinese herbal medicine formulae.
Verification of the formulation and efficacy of Danggui Buxue Tang (a decoction of Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae Sinensis): an exemplifying systematic approach to revealing the complexity of Chinese herbal medicine formulae.
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DOI：
10.1186/1749-8546-2-12
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发表时间：
2007-11-29
期刊：
影响因子：
4.9
通讯作者：
Tsim KW
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Gao Q;Li J;Cheung JK;Duan J;Ding A;Cheung AW;Zhao K;Li WZ;Dong TT;Tsim KW
本文从中药规范化、古方剂验证和机理研究三个层面，系统地揭示了中药方剂的复杂性。我们以当归补血汤（DBT）为例。在成千上万的中药配方中，几乎都是由多种草药组成的，而DBT是最简单的一种。DBT只含有两种草药，即黄芪（RA）和当归（RAS），传统上用于治疗女性疾病。早在公元1247年，DBT中RA与RAS的重量比就规定为5:1。除了先进的草药成分化学分析外，DNA基因分型技术已经发展为可靠的RA和RAS标准化。化学评价结果表明，在RA与RAS比例为5:1时，提取的黄芪甲苷、毛蕊花素、刺芒柄花素和阿魏酸等主要有效成分含量最高，而其他测试的RA与RAS比例仅为次优水平。生物学评价表明，在RA与RAS比例为5:1时，DBT的免疫调节、增脂和雌激素等生物活性也得到了最好的发挥。相关分析表明，被测化学成分与被测生物活性之间存在显著的统计学关系。利用基因芯片技术可以检测到一些基因表达的上调和下调，作为潜在的生物标志物。本文以中草药标准化、化学和生物验证以及机理研究为基础，对揭示中药方剂的复杂性以及其他中药方剂的复杂性具有重要意义。
This article exemplifies a systematic approach to revealing the complexity of Chinese herbal medicine formulae through three levels of scientific research: standardization of herbs, verification of ancient formulae and mechanism studies. We use Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) as an example for this approach. Among thousands of traditional Chinese medicine herbal formulae, almost all of which consist of multiple herbs, DBT is one of the simplest. Containing only two herbs, namely Radix Astragali (RA) and Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS), DBT is traditionally used to treat ailments in women. The weight ratio of RA to RAS in DBT was prescribed to be 5:1 as early as in 1247 AD. In addition to advanced chemical analysis of herbal constituents, DNA genotyping techniques have been developed for reliable standardization of RA and RAS. Chemical evaluation shows that main active constituents in DBT, including astragaloside IV, calycosin, formononetin and ferulic acid, were most abundant after extraction at the RA to RAS ratio of 5:1, whereas other tested RA to RAS ratios only gave sub-optimal levels of the active constituents. Biological evaluation indicates that bioactivities of DBT, e.g. immuno-modulatory, oesteotropic and estrogenic effects are also best exerted at the RA to RAS ratio of 5:1. Correlation analysis demonstrates statistically significant relationship between the tested chemical constituents and tested bioactivities. Up- and down-regulation of expression of some genes as potential biomarkers has been detected by using gene chip technology. This systematic approach on the basis of herbal standardization, chemical and biological verification and mechanism studies, as exemplified in this article, will be useful to reveal the complexity of not only DBT but also other Chinese medicine herbal formulae.