Planta Med 2010; 76(5): 439-443
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1186222
Pharmacology
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Ligustilide Suppresses the Biological Properties of Danggui Buxue Tang: A Chinese Herbal Decoction Composed of Radix Astragali and Radix Angelica sinensis

Yu Zhong Zheng1 , Roy Chi Yan Choi1 , Jun Li1 , Heidi Qun Hui Xie1 , Anna Wing Han Cheung1 , Ran Duan1 , Ava Jiang Yang Guo1 , Judy Ting Ting Zhu1 , Vicky Ping Chen1 , Cathy Wen Chuan Bi1 , Yue Zhu1 , David Dai Wai Lau1 , Tina Ting Xia Dong1 , Brad Wing Chuen Lau2 , Karl Wah Keung Tsim1
  • 1Department of Biology and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
  • 2Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine & Health MUST Foundation, Taipa, Macao, China
Further Information

Publication History

received May 18, 2009 revised Sept. 2, 2009

accepted Sept. 18, 2009

Publication Date:
21 October 2009 (online)

Abstract

Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a herbal decoction composed of Radix Astragali (RA) and Radix Angelica sinensis (RAS), has been used for treating menopausal irregularity in women for more than 800 years in China. According to the old tradition, RAS had to be processed with yellow wine before DBT preparation, which markedly reduced the amount of ligustilide in RAS and DBT, as well as enhanced the bioactivities of DBT. Here, we hypothesized that ligustilide would be an ingredient that possessed suppressive effects on DBT's functions. In the presence of ligustilide, the amount of astragaloside IV, calycosin, formononetin, and total polysaccharides extracted from RA were decreased. An increase of ligustilide caused a decrease of DBT's osteogenic activity in stimulating proliferation and differentiation of cultured bone cells. In addition, in the presence of a high level of ligustilide, DBT caused a side effect inducing the proliferation of breast MCF-7 cells. The current results strongly suggest that ligustilide is a negative regulator that hinders DBT to achieve its biological efficacy, which supports the traditional practice of preparing DBT using the ethanol-treated RAS.

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Prof. Dr. Karl W. K. Tsim

Department of Biology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

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