title: "Whole Chinese angelica" microemulsion: its preparation and in vivo and in vitro evaluations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The difference between the chemical polarities of the two categories of active chemical constituents in Chinese angelica volatile oil (CAVO) and Chinese angelica water extract (CAWE) greatly limit the development and clinical application of Chinese angelica preparation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to design and prepare a "whole Chinese angelica" microemulsion (WCAM) that contains both CAVO and CAWE and at the same time to evaluate it in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  CAVO and CAWE extracted from Chinese angelica were used as the oil and aqueous phases, respectively, to prepare the WCAM; its physicochemical property was observed, and its drug potency and oral bioavailability were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The formula of the WCAM was optimized as Tween-80:ethanol:CAVO:CAWE = 3:3:1:40. The droplet size of the WCAM was 72.64 nm and the WCAM was proved to be physicochemically stable when it was kept at 0 °C, 4 °C, 25 °C and 40 °C for 3 months. The WCAM could markedly prolong blood clotting time, decrease whole blood viscosity and whole blood reduced viscosity at different shear rates, and improve hemorheological parameters. The results of the pharmacokinetic evaluation show that the AUC0-7 of the WCAM was 4510.66 and was about 4.41-fold compared to that of danggui concentrated pills (an existing Chinese angelica pharmaceutical preparation).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded, that the WCAM is a promising Chinese angelica preparation that has great prospects in the treatment of dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China .
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Qianjin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xuezhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rongting
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Qingwen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Danwei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Niu
mesh_terms: D029971:Angelica sinensis; D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001682:Biological Availability; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects*; D004355:Drug Stability; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D011136:Polysorbates / Q000737:chemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004655:Emulsions; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D011136:Polysorbates; D014867:Water; C044613:angelicae sinensis extract
keywords: Chinese angelica; drug potency; microemulsion; oral bioavailability; volatile oil; water extract