ABSTRACT
Hot water extraction of Pheretima have marked actions in antipyretic, hypotensive, antiasthmatic and diuresis. Among them Guang-Pheretima and Hu-Pheretima are stronger than Tu-Pheretima in antipyretic. The difference of the intensity of Pheretima in the other actions is not obvious.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Materia Medica/pharmacology , Oligochaeta/chemistry , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage , Antihypertensive Agents/administration & dosage , Asthma/chemically induced , Asthma/drug therapy , Diuretics/administration & dosage , Diuretics/pharmacology , Female , Fever/drug therapy , Guinea Pigs , Male , Materia Medica/administration & dosage , Materia Medica/isolation & purification , Mice , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
The decoction of Cortex Cinnamomi (CC, 1 g/kg p.o.) and Halloysitum Rubrum (HR, 3 g/kg p.o.) or the combination of the two drugs (4 g/kg p.o., CC 1 g/kg, HR 3 g/kg) could antagonize the diarrhea caused by p.o. water ex tract of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei in mice; and inhibit the platelet aggregation induced by ADP in vitro. Meanwhile, the effect of the combination of the two drugs was not different from that of each single one. In addition, CC was able to inhibit the spontaneous movement of intestine in situ and showed an analgesic effect (hot-plate method) in mice; HR was ineffective in these aspects and did not reduce the effect of CC. CC(20 g/kg p.o., i.p. or i.v.) exhibited very strong toxicity in mice, while HR(60 g/kg p.o., i.p. or i.v.) was nontoxic. When the two drugs were used together, the toxicity was markedly reduced.
Subject(s)
Aluminum Silicates/pharmacology , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Lauraceae , Materia Medica/pharmacology , Aluminum Silicates/toxicity , Analgesics/pharmacology , Animals , Antidiarrheals/pharmacology , Diarrhea/drug therapy , Drug Incompatibility , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/toxicity , Female , Gastrointestinal Motility/drug effects , Male , Materia Medica/toxicity , Mice , Pain Threshold/drug effects , Platelet Aggregation/drug effects , RabbitsABSTRACT
Asian countries adjacent to the Golden Triangle and their neighbors have witnessed an evolution in "drug abuse" from traditional opium smoking to heroin eating, smoking, and finally heroin injection. A recent study of 630 heroin users was conducted in China's Yunnan Province, located close to the Golden Triangle. Data collected between August 1997 and February 1998 indicate injecting heroin users, in comparison to noninjectors, were more likely to have used drugs for a longer period of time, and to use drugs more frequently everyday. Other major differences existed between urban and rural subjects, especially highlighting differences between men and women. Women comprised a much higher proportion of urban subjects than rural subjects. Rural injectors were much more likely to be male, but urban injectors were almost evenly split between men and women. The emerging epidemic of heroin use in China and the continuing substance abuse problem in the United States provide an opportunity for collaborative research of mutual benefit.