Studies of the Synergistic Actions of Three Herbs in Tong-Mai Formula

Abstract

Tong-Mai oral liquid, containing three herbs (Pueraria radix, radix Salviae miltiorrhizae and rhizoma Chuanxiong), is a formula created under the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to invigorate the ‘blood’ and dispel ‘blood stasis’, which arises from poor blood circulation. In Tong-Mai formula, Pueraria radix is used for improved blood circulation and to treat cardiovascular diseases and arrhythmia. Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae was widely used in TCMs for treatment of coronary heart disease, blood circulation diseases, and other cardiovascular diseases; rhizoma Chuanxiong is used to treat thrombosis and platelet aggregation. Clinically, combining the use of these herbs was therapeutically valuable, which suggests that they might synergistically prevent thrombosis. In this study, the pharmacokinetic behaviors of puerarin and daidzein in rat plasma were studied after orally administrated to four kinds of extracts. Puerarin and daidzein were set as index components. In the Tong-Mai oral liquid group, puerarin and daidzein showed the maximum plasma concentration and the lowest clearance rate of plasma. The results indicated that the herbal constituents in Tong-Mai formula showed synergism, and it may be helpful to certificate the rationality of the matching in Tong-Mai formula.