title: Can rhizoma chuanxiong replace radix Angelica sinensis in the traditional Chinese herbal decoction danggui buxue tang?
abstract: Herein, we test the hypothesis that a member of a formulated Chinese herbal decoction cannot be replaced by another herb. Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) is being used as an example for illustration: this is a traditional decoction containing Radix Astragali (RA) and Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS) in a weight ratio of 5 to 1. Rhizoma Chuanxiong (RC) and RAS are two chemically very similar herbs but with a distinct function. Following the preparation method of DBT, a herbal decoction, namely Chuanxiong Buxue Tang (CBT), was created, which contained RA and RC in a weight ratio of 5 to 1. The two decoctions, DBT and CBT, were compared in parallel regarding their chemical and biological properties. In all the tested parameters, DBT showed superior properties, both chemically and biologically, to that of CBT. The current results reveal the uniqueness of Chinese herbal decoctions that require a well-defined formulation, which is indispensable for its specific composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, PR China.
authors.forename: Winnie Z M
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cathy W C
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Anna W H
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Roy C Y
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ivy S Y
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kui J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Tina T X
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Jin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Karl W K
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Tsim
mesh_terms: D029971:Angelica sinensis; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D030004:Ligusticum; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D027343:Rhizome; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases