title: Chemical and biological comparison of raw and vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radix Bupleuri (RB) is a commonly used herbal drug in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and it can be baked with vinegar to afford vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri (VBRB), which is used in TCM for liver diseases treatment. In this study, the chemical compositions and biological effects between raw and two processed RBs by different vinegars were systematically compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical compositions of raw and two processed RBs were analyzed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis. Two different extraction procedures were used, including direct extraction and liquid-liquid partition. Then HPLC was applied to determine the changes of saikosaponin contents. In addition, their liver protective effects against CCl4 induced liver injury were also investigated, and the biochemical parameters and histopathology were measured after treatment of mice with raw RB and two processed RBs (5 g/kg/day) for 14 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis showed clear differences between the raw and the two processed RBs, and the vinegar-baking process induced elevated contents of ssb1, ssb2, acetic acid, malic acid, citric acid, 5-HMF, and ligustrazine, as well as the decreased contents of ssa, ssd, sucrose, glycine, succinic acid etc. In addition, both raw and processed RBs showed liver protective effects against CCl4 induced liver injury, and the vinegar-baked RBs showed better effects than that of raw RB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The raw and vinegar-baked RBs differed not only in the chemical compositions but also in the pharmacological effects. And two processed RBs also showed chemical differences, suggesting that the type of vinegar had an important effect on vinegar baking. In order to ensure the therapeutic effect and safety of TCM, the effect of different vinegars on processing of herbal drugs should be further studied.
authors.affiliation: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China. Electronic address: qinxm@sxu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xue-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, People׳s Republic of China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, People׳s Republic of China. Electronic address: dugh@imm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Guan-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000818:Animals; D029972:Bupleurum / Q000737:chemistry; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: C051274:Bupleurum root extract; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D019342:Acetic Acid; C025759:saikosaponin D
keywords: (1)H NMR; Liver protective effects; Metabolic fingerprinting; Radix Bupleuri; Vinegar-baking