Chemistry and Biological Activities of Selected Popular Chinese Herbs in the US Market-2B - 農業知識入口網

B. Biological activity

The extracts of Angelica sinensis showed antiarrhythmic effects on adrenaline induced arrhythmia in cats (10). Dong Quai was also found to improve the blood circulation of the injured nerve (11), to regulate LPS-induced elevation of Ca2+ intracel lular level of alveolar macrophages and may inhibit non-specific inflammation of airways in chronic bronchitis (12), to protect the human vascular endothelial cell from the effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein in vitro (13), to enhance gastric ulcer healing in rats and promote wound repair in RGM-1 cells (14) and to stimulate the proliferation, alk. phosphatase (ALP) activity, protein secretion and particularly type I collagen synthesis of human osteoprecursor cells (OPC-1) (15).

The Angelica sinensis polysaccharides were found to decrease colony formation in spleen hematopoietic tissue of irradiated mice (16), to increase the proliferation of several types of precursor cells in healthy and anemic mice and increase hematopoisis (17) and showed protective effects on gastrointestinal damage induced by ethanol or indomethacin in rats (18), protective effects on hepatic injury induced by acetaminophen in rodents (19), anti-anemic and immunofunction regulating activities (20), an extensive effect on immunocompetence (21), promoting gastric ulcer healing (22) and augmenting mice splenocyte proliferation, released IFN-γ and increased IFN-γ bioactivity (23).

Recent study also showed that Angelica root and its active components have the ability to inhibit the aggregated amyloid β-peptide (agg Aβ1-40) induced damage of differentiated PC-12 cells (dPC-12), a well-known cell model for Alzheimer disease. Four compounds showing potent activity were identified as Z-ligustilide, 11-angeloylsenkyunolide F, coniferyl ferulate and ferulic acid. They were found to significantly inhibit Aβ1-40 toxicity on dPC-12 cells at lower concentrations of 1–10 μg/m (24)