The Chemical Composition Of Complex Fangxiao Cheng Qi Tang And Fingerprint

Xiaochengqi decoction created by Zhong-Jing Zhang, a famous Chinese traditional decoction from the Treatise on Febrile Disease, consists of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, aurantii fructus immaturus and officinal magnolia bark. It has the function of dispelling excess syndrome of YANG MING FU-organ and removing heat to loosen bowels. In clinic it is used to treat patients with symptoms of torpor intestinorum constipation, being in a cold sweat, feeling cold in the limbs, lientery and faint pulse. Pharmacological research showed that Xiaochengqi decoction has significant functions of sticky intestinal obstruction, enteroparalysis, chronic gastritis and appendicitis. In order to clarify the chemical substantial foundation of Xiaochengxi decoction and explorethe chemical methods of studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we systematically studied the chemical constituents of Xiaochengqi. This work could offer gist for quality control and clinical application of this preparation.Twenty compounds were isolated from aqueous extract of Xiaochengqi decoction. Through chemical and spectral analysis the structures of twenty compounds were elucidated, including nine anthraquinones (six aglycones and three glycosides), five flavonones, two phenols, one sterin, two phenolic acids and one ketone compounds. Among them, a new anthraquinone 3, 8-Dihydroxy-1-methylanthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid was frist isolated from herb kingdom.Moreover the volatile oils extracted with steam distillation from Xiaochengqi and identified up to 68 percent of distillation products in component analysis. And the content of each component identified was determined ,which shows that the content of 9 compounds was higher than 1 %, including D-Limonene(42.61 %), P-Cymene(16.43%), 5-terpinene( 14.46%).The standard curves of compounds were protracted, and every compounds contents were determined by HPLC or MS method; the contents difference of thirteen compounds between single drug and Xiaochengqi decoction was compared. Through comparing the chromatogram, we discussed the contribution of every single drug to Xiaochengqi decoction. By using HPLC-MS~n and LC-DAD-UV coupling technique, the origin of the isolated compounds were determined and some unknown compounds in Xiaochengqi decoction conjectured.