Bupleurum chinense/pharmacological action/modern application
Source: Medical Education Network
Bupleurum DC It is the dried root of Bupleurum DC. Or Bupleurum stenophyllum DC. Umbelliferae. Its components mainly contain saikosaponin, sterol, volatile oil and polysaccharide. Bupleurum is bitter in taste and slightly cold in nature. Enter the liver and gallbladder meridian.
Pharmacological action Bupleurum chinense has the effects of clearing away heat, soothing the liver, relieving depression, rising yang and penetrating rash.
1. antipyretic
Bupleurum decoction, Bupleurum injection, Bupleurum alcohol extract, volatile oil and crude saponin have obvious antipyretic effects on various experimental fever animal models, and can also lower the body temperature of normal animals. The main antipyretic components are saikosaponin, sapogenin A and volatile oil. Compared with the antipyretic effect of volatile oil, saikosaponin has the characteristics of less dosage, strong effect and less toxicity. Eugenol, caproic acid, γ -undecanolactone and p-methoxybenzophenone in the total volatile oil of Bupleurum chinense are the main components of its antipyretic effect. The volatile oil of Bupleurum chinense may act on the thermoregulatory center of hypothalamus, inhibiting the production or release of cAMP in this part, thus inhibiting the thermoregulatory point from moving up and lowering the body temperature.
2. Pathogenic microorganisms
Bupleurum chinense has a certain inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococcus, Vibrio cholerae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and leptospira in vitro. It has a strong inhibitory effect on influenza virus, hepatitis virus and vaccinia virus. Bupleurum injection is effective in treating herpes simplex keratitis and epidemic hemorrhagic fever virus. The water extract of Bupleurum chinense can significantly reduce the lung index and mortality of mice with experimental viral pneumonia.
3. Anti-inflammatory
Bupleurum crude saponin, Bupleurum saponin and Bupleurum volatile oil all have anti-inflammatory effects. Saikosaponin can inhibit the inflammatory reaction caused by various inflammatory factors in normal or adrenalectomized rats, and it is effective by oral administration or injection. Its anti-inflammatory effect involves many links: reducing capillary permeability; Inhibit leukocyte migration; Inhibition of granulation tissue proliferation. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of Bupleurum chinense is complex. Saikosaponin can stimulate hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex endocrine axis, promote pituitary secretion of ACTH, and enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of glucocorticoid. In addition, it may directly inhibit the release of inflammatory substances.
4. Promote immune function
Bupleurum polysaccharide and Bupleurum hot water extract (polymer components) can promote the immune function of the body. Bupleurum polysaccharide can increase the phagocytic function of Kupffer cells, enhance the function of natural killer cells, increase the titer of virus-specific antibodies, improve lymphocyte transformation rate and skin delayed hypersensitivity.
5. Sedate, relieve pain and cough
Chaihu decoction, total saponins and saikosapogenin have obvious inhibitory effects on the central nervous system, which can reduce the spontaneous activity of animals, inhibit conditioned reflex, prolong the sleep time of barbiturates and antagonize the effects of central stimulants (amphetamine, caffeine, etc.). ). Normal people will also have central depression symptoms such as drowsiness after taking raw Bupleurum preparation.
Chaihu decoction and saikosaponin have analgesic effects on various experimental pain model animals. Saikosaponin can increase the pain threshold of experimental animals, and this effect can be partially antagonized by naloxone. Search and arrangement of medical education network
Bupleurum, Bupleurum crude saponin and saikosapogenin have good antitussive effects. The antitussive strength of total saponins of Bupleurum chinense is slightly lower than that of codeine. Saikosapogenin injection has good antitussive effect.
6. Protect liver, promote gallbladder and reduce blood fat.
Bupleurum chinense, saikosaponin, saikosaponol and α -spinach sterol have protective effects on liver, and have certain preventive and therapeutic effects on experimental liver injury in animals caused by various reasons. It can reduce ALT and AST, alleviate liver cell damage and promote liver function to return to normal. The protective mechanism of Bupleurum chinense may be that saikosaponin has direct protective effect on biofilm (such as mitochondrial membrane); Saikosaponin promotes ACTH secretion in pituitary gland, and then increases plasma cortisol; Antagonize adrenal atrophy caused by exogenous steroid hormones and improve the body's resistance to non-specific stimuli; Promote DNA synthesis of hepatocytes and inhibit extracellular matrix synthesis.
The water extract and decoction of Bupleurum chinense have obvious cholagogic effect, which can increase the bile output of experimental animals and reduce the contents of bile acid, bile pigment and cholesterol. The vinegar-roasted Bupleurum chinense has the strongest cholagogic effect.
The main components affecting lipid metabolism in Bupleurum chinense are saikosaponin, sapogenins A and B, and saikosol. α-Spinach sterol. Saikosaponin can reduce the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in experimental hyperlipidemia animals, and the effect of reducing triglycerides is the most obvious. It can also accelerate the excretion of 14C- cholesterol and its metabolites in feces. Bupleurum alcohol and α -spinach sterol can reduce the cholesterol level of hypercholesterolemic animals. Bupleurum chinense has no obvious effect on blood lipid level of normal animals.
7. Effect on visceral smooth muscle
The crude saponin of Bupleurum chinense can obviously enhance the contractile effect of acetylcholine on isolated intestinal muscles of guinea pigs and rabbits. Its compound preparation can resist intestinal muscle spasm caused by acetylcholine, barium chloride and histamine. Bupleurum crude saponin and Bupleurum polysaccharide have protective effects on various experimental gastric mucosal injury models. Bupleurum also has the function of exciting uterus.
To sum up, the antipyretic, pathogenic microorganism-resistant, anti-inflammatory and immune function-promoting effects of Bupleurum chinense are the pharmacodynamic basis of its efficacy of relieving exterior syndrome; Protecting liver and gallbladder, reducing blood fat, calming and relieving pain are the manifestations of its efficacy of soothing the liver and relieving depression; Its effect on visceral smooth muscle may be related to its yang-lifting effect.
Modern application
1. fever
2. Viral hepatitis
cough
4. Hyperlipidemia
5. Mumps