Exploration on the Guiding Chemical Constituents in the Medicinal Guides of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Abstract:ObjectiveTo explore the chemical constituents that play a guiding role existing in the medicinal guides of the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs,so that to make it more scientific of the theory“guiding actions”.MethodsBy investigating the literatures,the author made the analysis, derivation,induction and deduction on the theory of the guiding constituents from the known experimental results and clinical outcomes. ResultsThrough a large number of the literature investigations,in the medicinal guides,some chemical constituents such as Platycodosides,3H-ligustrazine and aromatics,etc were found to have their own selectivity and the ability to actively enter the targetable sites, similar to the active target-tropism functions of primer, promoter, transmitter, mediator, transductor and transporter, etc. ConclusionUnder the instruction of TCM guiding theory,adopting modern science and technology,researchers would entirely enable to screen the bioactive components possessing the best guiding actions from the known chemical components of the medicinal guides. Perhaps they could discover some bioactive components possessing the peculiar guiding actions,such as “affinitin” or “targeter”. It is possible to provide the essential substances for preparing the special “guiding agents” and also do the theoretical evidence for examining the TCM guiding theory and paving the plain way for developing TCM theory.
随着世界性现代医药科技的迅速发展,人们纷纷寻求高效速效的给药方法和途径,从而引发了中药研发的革命性变革。尤其是近10年来,中药的研究已跨入了分子生物学的王国。中药的引经作用与现代制药理论的靶向作用十分类似。所不同的是引经作用为自然靶向性质,而现代制药靶向作用是人为性地给药物添加某种载体的人工靶向性质。二者也有共同点,即:主动性和被动性。现代制药学把这种主动性和被动性称为“主动靶向”和“被动靶向”。目前,靶向给药系统(targeted drug delivery system,TDDS)的研究已成为药剂学研究热点[4]。什么是TDDS?TDDS是指一类能使药物浓度集中定位于病变部位、组织、器官、靶细胞,甚至细胞内的结构,并要求有一定浓度的药物停留相当长的时间,以便发挥药效。成功的TDDS应具备3个要素:定位蓄积、控制释药、无毒可生物降解[5]。当前研究的靶向制剂主要分“主动靶向制剂”和“被动靶向制剂”两大类。最常用的主动靶向制剂是受体介导的靶向制剂,它能利用细胞表面的受体进行药物靶向传递。最常用的被动靶向制剂是微粒载体介导的靶向制剂。微粒主要包括脂质体(LS)、纳米粒(NP)或纳米囊(NC)、微球(MS)或微囊(MC)、细胞和乳剂等。微粒能通过具有丰富吞噬细胞的网状内皮系统(RES)靶向于各器官。
中药的“引经”主要是“主动靶向”性,它的功能是引导其他药物的有效成分到达所需病灶部位。以桔梗为例,桔梗其气轻清上浮,为肺经和上焦的引经要药,如天王补心丹中用桔梗,其目的是开提诸气,引诸药上行,于是助诸药滋心阴、养心血、增强诸药的安心神作用[6]。《成方便读》一书中就有“引诸药上行而入心”的理论记载。《古今名医方论》更是把桔梗视为“舟楫”[7]。可见,桔梗是一味不可缺少的重要引经药。当然,中药的引经也有其“被动靶向性”的一面,那就是要靠炮制用辅料如酒、醋、盐水等作为介导物质将药物引入所需部位。如牛黄上清丸的大黄本为泻下药,但经酒制后却能引导牛黄等其他药物上行治疗口腔等头面诸窍疾病,当然,桔梗是该方剂中的主要引经药。
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