Ethnopharmacology of rhinoceros horn. II: Antipyretic effects of prescriptions containing rhinoceros horn or water buffalo horn.
Aqueous extracts of rhinoceros horn or water buffalo horn demonstrated significant antipyretic action at 2.5 g/ml i.p. (1 ml/animal) in rats with hyperthermia induced by subcutaneous injection of turpentine oil. Qingying Decoction, a classic compound prescription composed of rhinoceros horn and eight herbs, showed significant antipyretic action at dosages equivalent to 0.5 g/ml of rhinoceros horn extract. Comparable action was obtained by Qingying Decoction prepared with water buffalo horn. It is suggested that water buffalo horn can be used as a substitute for rhinoceros horn in treating hyperthermia, especially when prepared with other herbal materials according to the principles of compound prescriptions of Chinese medicine.
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Department of Biology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
Tam
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Lung
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D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000502:physiology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D006733:Horns / Q000502:physiology*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010527:Perissodactyla / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014020:Tissue Extracts