A characteristic pharmacological action of 'Yang-invigorating' Chinese tonifying herbs: enhancement of myocardial ATP-generation capacity.

In order to investigate the pharmacological basis of 'Yang-invigorating' action, the effect of oral treatment with the methanolic extract of 'Yang-invigorating' herbs on ATP-generation capacity was examined, using heart homogenates prepared from herb-pretreated mice. Tonifying (i.e., health-promoting) herbs of other functional categories were also included for comparison. The results indicated that 'Yang-invigorating' Chinese tonifying herbs could invariably enhance myocardial ATP-generation capacity, with the extent of stimulation varying among the herbs. In contrast, 'Yin-nourishing' herbs either did not stimulate or even decreased myocardial ATP-generation capacity. While 'Qi-invigorating' herbs produced variable effects on myocardial ATP-generation capacity, most of the 'blood-enriching' herbs did not cause any significant changes. The results obtained from studies using myocardial mitochondrial fractions isolated from herb-pretreated mice suggest that 'Yang-invigorating' herbs might speed up ATP generation by increasing mitochondrial electron transport. The ensemble of results has provided evidence for the first time to support the pharmacological basis of 'Yang invigoration' in Chinese medicine.

A yang-promoting Chinese herbal suppository preparation enhances the antioxidant status of red cells in male human subjects.

In the 16-week pilot study, the effect of a Yang-promoting Chinese herbal suppository preparation (VI-28) on the red cell antioxidant status was examined in 31 healthy male subjects aged 41-66 years old. VI-28 treatment for 12 weeks (one suppository (0.3 g) daily for week 1-4; one every 2 days for week 5-8; one every 3 days for week 9-12) produced a time/dose-dependent alteration in red cell antioxidant status. The VI-28-induced change is characterized by a slight depletion in cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) level and a decrease in susceptibility to peroxide-induced lipid peroxidation as well as increases in catalase (CAT) and Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. While a reversal trend of change was observed in cellular GSH level, the susceptibility to lipid peroxidation as well as the CAT activity after the cessation of treatment for 4 weeks, the SOD activity exhibited a protracted increase. The results indicate that VI-28 treatment enhances red cell antioxidant status in male subjects. The beneficial effect of VI-28 treatment on red cells may re fl ect a corresponding change in antioxidant status of peripheral tissues.

Schisandrin B protects against tacrine- and bis(7)-tacrine-induced hepatotoxicity and enhances cognitive function in mice.

Intragastric administration (100-200 micromol/kg) of tacrine (THA) or bis(7)-THA could cause an acute and dose-dependent increase in plasma alanine aminotransferases activity in mice at 6 h after the drug administration. The increase in plasma enzyme activity was associated with an increase in hepatic malondialdehyde level, an indirect index of oxidative tissue damage. Pretreating mice with schisandrin B (Sch B), an active dibenzocyclooctadiene derivative isolated from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis, at a daily dose of 0.125-0.5 mmol/kg for 3 days protected against the THA/bis(7)-THA induced hepatic oxidative damage in a dose-dependent manner. Sch B treatment (0.025-0.5 mmol/kg/day x 5) also enhanced the passive avoidance-response in mice as assessed by the step-through task experiment. The ensemble of results suggests that Sch B may be useful for reducing the potential hepatotoxicity of THA/bis(7)-THA in anti-Alzheimer's therapy.