Evodiae Fructus Research Articles

Role of Cyclic Nucleotide System in the Action of Oriental Medicinal Herbs

Tests were performed on mice in order to examine the ability of Oriental medicinal herbs to increase plasma levels of cyclic AMP in vivo. Cyclic AMP was determined by radioimmunoassay before and after administration of water decocted extracts of 218 different herbs. Of these,82 were positive. Polyphenol, a tannin-like substance, was responsible for most of the activities of the herbs except Platycodi Radix. The active constituents in Platycodi Radix were successfully purified and were shown to be saponins. Further, tannic acid and its degenerates, pyrogallol and purpurogallin, which are produced by peroxidase from pyrogallol, were shown to have adenylate cyclase stimulatory, COMT inhibitory and phosphodiesterase inhibitory activities, respectively. Peroxidase activities were varied according to the mouse strain, suggesting that the efficacy of Oriental medicinal herbs is determined by the interaction between the herbs and the metabolism of the patient. Long term peroral administration of Shôseiryû-tô which has been used for bronchial asthma, enhances the plasma cyclic AMP responses to isoprenaline and histamine in mice and restores the down regulation induced by long term subcutaneous injections of catecholamine, indicating that there is some effect on the β-adrenoceptors and H2 receptors. Evodiae Fructus contains 30-40n mole/g dry wt. cyclic GMP and Zizyphi Fructus contains 30-50 and 100-500n mole/g dry wt. cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP, Respectively. In natural occurrance, these values are the highest among not only plants but also animal tissues. Chronic and general pharmacological action by Oriental medicinal herbs can be explained partly via its effect on the cyclic nucleotide system.

Purification and Identification of Guanosine 3' : 5'-Monophosphate from Higher Plants (Evodiae Fructus)

Purification and Identification of Guanosine 3' : 5'-Monophosphate from Higher Plants (Evodiae Fructus)

Hypotensive effect of dehydroevodiamine from Evodiae Fructus.

Dehydroevodiamine isolated from Evodiae Fructus lowered blood pressure with bradycardia in anesthetised rats. At a cumulative dose of 22.5mg/kg/30min, there was a very significant decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. There was a more important decrease in diastolic pressure than systolic pressure, implying a vasodilatory effect. The hypotensive effect of dehydroevodiamine can be abolished partly by indomethacin and more completely, polyphoretin phosphate. It is suggested that the hypotensive effect of dehydroevodiamine may be mediated through prostaglandin synthesis. A similar action mechanism in dehydroevodiamine-stimulated rat uterus contraction is also discussed.

In vivo and in vitro studies on the mechanism of cardiovascular effects of Wu-Chu-Yu (Evodiae fructus).

The effects of the Chinese herb Wu-Chu-Yu (Evodiae fructus) on the cardiovascular function were assessed in anesthetized cats, conscious rats, and isolated preparations of rat aortic strip and auricle. In anesthetized cats, intravenous administration of alcohol-water crude extracts of Wu-Chu-Yu (0.03-0.24 g/kg) produced a dose-dependent hypertension and an increased contractile force of nictitating membrane which lasted for more than 5 min in higher doses. Phentolamine, but not tetraethylammonium antagonized hypertension and the increased contractile force of nictitating membrane induced by Wu-Chu-Yu. In conscious rats, hypertension was also observed by intraperitoneal administration of Wu-Chu-Yu (6 g/kg). Bilateral nephrectomy, administration of phentolamine or propranolol, all significantly decreased the hypertensive effect of Wu-Chu-Yu. Pretreatment with reserpine 24 hours in advance did not change the pressor effect of the crude extract. In aortic strip preparations, Wu-Chu-Yu caused the increase of contractile force, and the dose-response curve was parallel shift to the right in the presence of phentolamine. In auricle preparations, Wu-Chu-Yu produced positive inotropic and positive chronotropic effects, and the presence of propranolol changed the slope of Wu-Chu-Yu's dose-inotropic effect curve and reversed the chronotropic effect from positive to negative. Both in vivo and in vitro results suggested that alpha and beta adrenoceptors were directly involved in the cardiovascular effects of Wu-Chu-Yu.