Study On The Primary Action Object Of Three Bioactive Compounds In Chinese Traditional Medicines Clearing Away Heat

The objective: To study the primary action object of Chinese traditional medicine (CTMs) clearing away heat using three bioactive compounds representatively which were Berberine, chlorogenic acid and baicalin, the primary bioactive compounds in Coptis chinensis Franch, Lonicera japohia Thumb, and Scutellaria baicalensis Georg respectively. Firstly, the concentrations of them in rabbits' plasma and tissue fluid were detected by means of HPLC, and there were three groups of different dosages for each bioactive compound. And their MIC were mensurated by means of dilution in test tube. The results: the C_max of berberine, chlorogenic acid and baicalin in rabbits' tissue fluid were 0.12 mg/L, 0.12 mg/L , 0.15 mg/L respectively; The C_max in rabbits' plasma were 5.76 mg/L, 10.68 mg/L, 16.83 mg/L respectively; And their MIC in vitro were 1.0×10³, 3.5 ×10³, 6.5 ×10³ mg/L respectively. Then based on the results of the concentrations of three bioactive compounds in plasma, the influence of berberine with the concentration of 5.0 mg/L, chlorogenic acid with the concentration of 10.0 mg/L and baicalin with the concentration of 10.0 mg/L on the secretion of NO by Intestinal Mucosa MVECs from rats and on the expression of ICAM-1 and the secretion of NO by Intestinal Mucosa MVECs injured by LPS were investigated. ICAM-1 was detected by means of immunocytochemistry and NO was detected by means of deoxidizing with nitrate. The results: berberine and chlorogenic acid could increase remarkably the secretion of NO of MVECs, and baicalin could lower the secretion of NO; All of berberine, chlorogenic acid and baicalin could lower the increase of the the expression of ICAM-1 invoked by LPS, and berberine and chlorogenic acid could enhance the increase of the secretion of NO invoked by LPS and baicalin could lower it. The results showed: that the concentrations of berberine, chlorogenic acid and baicalin in rabbits' plasma and tissue fluid were lower significantly than its MIC respectively and the concentrations of them in rabbits' tissue fluid were lower significantly than that in rabbits' plasma, so they couldn't restrain or kill pathogenic microorganism and also couldn't regulate effectively the functions of parachymal cell. However, they could influence significantly the functions of Intestinal Mucosa MVECs from rats. So it could be speculated that pathogenic microorganism or parachymal cell was maybe not the primary action object of bioactive compounds in CTMs clearing away heat that work maybe by acting on MVECs so as to regulate and control the stability internal environment of the body. These results provided convincing evidence for the viewpoint that the primary action object of bioactive compounds in CTMs clearing away heat may be MVECs.