title: Application of radioligand receptor binding assays in the search for CNS active principles from Chinese medicinal plants.
abstract: Extracts of Schefflera bodinieri and S. delavayi (Araliaceae), Celastrus angulatus and C. orbiculatus (Celastraceae), Clerodendrum mandarinorum and C. bungei (Verbenaceae), Periploca callophylla and P. forrestii (Asclepiadaceae), Alangium platanifolium (Alangiaceae) and Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae) were assessed for CNS activity against 18 radioligand receptor binding assays. The receptors used were alpha 1-, alpha 2- and beta-adrenoceptors, 5HT-1, 5HT-1A, 5HT-2, opiate, adenosine-1, benzodiazepine, Ca+2 channel, sulphonylureas, dopamine-1, dopamine-2, muscarinic, histamine-1, Na+/K+ ATPase, GABAA and GABAB. The results indicate that these ligand-receptor binding assays are useful for understanding the mode of action of herbal medicines and for bioassay guided fractionation of plant active ingredients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Bowery
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Greengrass
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Phillipson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal