title: [Comparison of in vitro anti-oxidative activities among Siwu Decoction Serial Recipes, their composed crude herbs, and main aromatic acids, as well as their dose-effect correlation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess and compare the in vitro anti-oxidative activities among Siwu Decoction Serial Recipes, their composed crude herbs, and main aromatic acids they contained.
  
  
  METHODS
  Their anti-oxidative activities (including Siwu Decoction and correlated recipes such as Taohong Siwu Decoction, Xiangfu Siwu Decoction, Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction, and Xiongqiong Decoction, 16 kinds of crude herbs, and main aromatic acids they contained) were determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical clearance method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The selected five decoctions showed obvious activities of scavenging free radicals. Siwu Decoction was better than other decoctions in scavenging free radicals and Xiongqiong Decoction was the least. Among the 16 kinds of crude herbs, red peony root, white peony root, safflower, ligustici chuanxiong, common aucklandia root showed the strongest activities, while peach seed showed the poorest activities. Among aromatic acids, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid showed obvious anti-oxidative activities in scavenging free radicals, showing obvious dose-effect correlation. p-hydroxybenzoic acid, benzoic acid, and cinnamic acid showed no activities on scavenging free radicals (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Siwu Decoction and aromatic acids contained in correlated decoctions played significant roles in anti-oxidative activities.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for TCM Formulae Research, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing. yupingtang@njutcm.edu.cn
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Mei-Yan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D002726:Chlorogenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010851:Picrates
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002109:Caffeic Acids; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005609:Free Radicals; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D010851:Picrates; D002726:Chlorogenic Acid; C009091:protocatechuic acid; D005707:Gallic Acid; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; C040048:caffeic acid