Research Progress in Toxicity and Toxicity-reducing and Efficacy-enhancing Compatibility of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata

Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata contains alkaloids,flavonoids,polysaccharides,organic acids and organic alkalis,among which diester alkaloids are important effective ingredients,which can be used for treating heart failure,rheumatic heart disease,coronary heart disease,hypotension,shock and other diseases.However,it also contains the main ingredients that produce toxic effects and are highly toxic to the cardiovascular system,nervous system,digestive system,reproductive system,embryos,and livers and kidneys.In this study,we analyzed the toxicity-reducing and efficacy-enhancing effects of the compatibility of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata with with single herbs Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.,Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer,Zingiber ojjicinale Rosc.and Rheum palmatum L.,aiming to provide references for further exploring the appropriate compatibility conditions of traditional Chinese medicine in the future and improving the safety of the clinical application of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata.

A feasible,economical,and accurate analytical method for simultaneous determination of six alkaloid markers in Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata from different manufacturing sources and processing ways

Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(Fuzi) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in clinic for its potency in restoring yang and rescuing from collapse. Aconiti alkaloids, mainly including monoester-diterpenoidaconitines(MDAs) and diester-diterpenoidaconitines(DDAs), are considered to act as both bioactive and toxic constituents. In the present study, a feasible, economical, and accurate HPLC method for simultaneous determination of six alkaloid markers using the Single Standard for Determination of Multi-Components(SSDMC) method was developed and fully validated. Benzoylmesaconine was used as the unique reference standard. This method was proven as accurate(recovery varying between 97.5%-101.8%, RSD < 3%), precise(RSD 0.63%-2.05%), and linear(R > 0.999 9) over the concentration ranges, and subsequently applied to quantitative evaluation of 62 batches of samples, among which 45 batches were from good manufacturing practice(GMP) facilities and 17 batches from the drug market. The contents were then analyzed by principal component analysis(PCA) and homogeneity test. The present study provided valuable information for improving the quality standard of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata. The developed method also has the potential in analysis of other Aconitum species, such as Aconitum carmichaelii(prepared parent root) and Aconitum kusnezoffii(prepared root).

Study on Hot Property of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and Its Compatibility with Zingiberis Rhizoma Based on Animal Temperature Tropism

Objective To establish an objective method for evaluating the intrinsic characteristics between hot and cold properties of herbal drugs and to study the hot property of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(ALRP) and its compatibility with Zingiberis Rhizoma(ZR) on animal temperature tropism.Methods The equipment with cold/hot pads was used to investigate the variety of temperature tropism among mice treated by ALRP and its compatibility with ZR.Meanwhile,the activities of adenosine triphosphatase(ATPase),total anti-oxidant capability(T-AOC),and total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD) were measured.Results Compared with the homologous ALRP group,the compatibility between ALRP and ZR(AZ) had a stronger action against the decreasing of remaining rate on hot pad(P < 0.05),suggesting an enhancement of cold tropism.Meanwhile,the internal indexes of Na+-K+-ATPase activity,Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activity,and oxygen consuming volume increased significantly(P < 0.05),suggesting an enhancement of energy metabolism.The changes of T-AOC and T-SOD activity suggested that AZ reinforced the anti-oxidative capability of mice.In addition,it could be inferred from cluster analysis that the activity of AZ was concretely stronger than that of homologous ALRP.Conclusion ALRP and ZR are both herbs with hot property,but AZ has an enhanced trend of hot property.This external behavior of cold tropism and the internal activity of energy metabolism and anti-oxidant might reflect the internal hot property in an intuitive and objective way.The changes of ATPase activity of liver tissue might be the mechanism of drug action.

Research on Fuzi based on animal thermotropism behavior to discover if it has fewer "hot" characteristics without Ganjiang

OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether Fuzi(Radix Aconiti Praeparata) has fewer "hot" characteristics when administered without Ganjiang(Rhizoma Zingiberis).METHODS:Differences in the thermotropism behaviors of mice treated either with Fuzi(Radix Aconiti Praeparata),Ganjiang(Rhizoma Zingiberis) or the combination of the two given intragastrically were investigated using the Animal Thermotropism Behavior Surveillance System.The water intake volume,oxygen consumption volume,adenosine triphosphatase(ATPase) activity,total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD) activity were determined during the investigation.RESULTS:When Fuzi and Ganjiang were administered together,the rate at which mice remained on a warm plate("remaining rate") and the times and distances of their movement were all significantly reduced(P<0.05).Compared with the Normal group,the reduction was 55.1%,48.3% and 44.8%,while compared with the Fuzi group,the reduction was 57.6%,34.3% and 36.0%,indicating that "cold" tropism was significantly increased.Compared with the Normal and Fuzi groups,the ATPase activity and the respiratory oxygen consumption volume of the Fuzi + Ganjiang group were significantly increased(P<0.05),suggesting an improvement in energy metabolism and showing a "hot" characteristic when Fuzi and Ganjiang are present together.Additionally,the T-AOC and T-SOD activity were significantly enhanced(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The behavior of mice tending toward "cold" tropism can be regarded as a quantitative reflection of Fuzi having fewer characteristics consistent w ith a "hot" nature when not used with Ganjiang,the functional mechanism of which may be a change in the ATPase activity in liver tissue.

Pharmacological effects of Chinese herb aconite(Fuzi) on cardiovascular system

Fuzi(aconite,Radix Aconiti praeparata),a widely used Chinese herb,plays a significant role in the cardiovascular system.This is mainly reflected by Fuzi's cardiotonic effect,its protective effect on myocardial cells,and its effect on heart rate and rhythm,blood pressure,and hemodynamics.In this article,the pharmacological effects and the corresponding mechanisms of Fuzi(aconite) and its active components on cardiovascular system are reviewed.