€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE***** Usuki S Effects of herbal components of tokishakuyakusan on progesterone secretion by corpus luteum in vitro. In: Am J Chin Med (1991) 19(1):57-60 ISSN: 0192-415X Twenty-seven-day old female rats received 20 IU PMS and 56 hours later, 40 IU hCG. Seven days after hCG treatment, the resected ovaries were incubated in vitro with herbal components of Tokishakuyakusan (TS). Mixture of hoelen + peony root + alisma rhizone + Japanese angelica root or hoelen + Japanese angelica root or Japanese angelica root + cnidium rhizome significantly increased progesterone secretion, and these levels tended to exceed the level by TS alone. These results suggest an exquisitely blended effect of herbal components of TS on progesterone secretion by corpora lutea. Registry Numbers: 23180-57-6 (peoniflorin) 57-83-0 (Progesterone) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Usuki S Effects of Tokishakuyakusan and its components on rat corpus luteum function in vitro. In: Am J Chin Med (1988) 16(1-2):11-9 ISSN: 0192-415X 27-day-old female rats received 20 IU PMS and 56 hours later, 40 IU hCG. Seven days after hCG treatment, the resected ovaries were perifused with NIH-LH, Tokishakuyakusan (TJ-23) or its components. LH and TJ-23 increased progesterone in media and LH was more effective than TJ-23. Hoelen, Peony root, Alisma rhizome and Japanese angelica root also augmented progesterone. 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and 20 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone were not stimulated by TJ-23. These results suggest that TJ-23 stimulates corpora lutea to secrete progesterone without direct luteotropic or luteolytic effect and that the effect may be attributable to Hoelen, Peony root, Alisma rhizome or Japanese angelica root. Registry Numbers: 23180-57-6 (peoniflorin) 57-83-0 (Progesterone) 9002-67-9 (LH) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Sakamoto S Kudo H Suzuki S Sassa S Yoshimura S Nakayama T Maemura M Mitamura T Qi Z Liu XD Yagishita Y Asai A Pharmacotherapeutic effects of toki-shakuyaku-san on leukorrhagia in young women. In: Am J Chin Med (1996) 24(2):165-8 ISSN: 0192-415X Toki-shakuyaku-san is a traditional Chinese herbal prescriptions that is composed of 6 herbal plants, i.e., peony root, atractylodes lancea rhizome, alisma rhizome, hoelen, cnidium rhizome and Japanese angelica root. Administration with Toki-shakuyaku-san normalized irregular menstrual cycle, healed cervical pseudo-erosion and reduced leukorrhagia in young women who had insufficient luteal function. Registry Numbers: 57-83-0 (Progesterone) *****BIOLOGICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN***** Shimizu N Ohtsu S Tomoda M Gonda R Ohara N A glucan with immunological activities from the tuber of Alisma orientale. In: Biol Pharm Bull (1994 Dec) 17(12):1666-8 ISSN: 0918-6158 A glucan, called alisman SI, was isolated from the tuber of Alisma orientale Juzepcz. It was homogeneous on electrophoresis and gel chromatography, and its molecular mass was 1.1 x 10(4). It is composed solely of D-glucose. Methylation analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and enzymic degradation studies indicated that it has a high-branched glucan type structure mainly composed of alpha-1,4- linked D-glucopyranosyl residues with partially alpha-1,6-linked units and both 3,4- and 4,6-branching points. The polysaccharide exhibited significant reticuloendothelial system-potentiating activity in a carbon clearance test, as well as a pronounced anti- complementary activity. Registry Numbers: EC 3.2.1.1 (alpha-Amylase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Tomoda M Gonda R Shimizu N Ohara N Characterization of an acidic polysaccharide having immunological activities from the tuber of Alisma orientale. In: Biol Pharm Bull (1994 May) 17(5):572-6 ISSN: 0918-6158 An acidic polysaccharide, called alisman PII, was isolated from the tuber of Alisma orientale Juzepcz. It was homogeneous on electrophoresis and gel chromatography, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 5.25 x 10(4). It is composed of L-arabinose:D- galactose:D-glucuronic acid in the molar ratio of 4:9:2, in addition to some of O-acetyl groups. Reduction of carboxyl groups, methylation analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and controlled Smith degradation indicated that the core structural features include a backbone chain composed of beta-1,3-linked D-galactose units. Some of the galactose units in the backbone carry beta-D-galactosyl side chains at position 6. Both alpha-1,5-linked L-arabinosyl side chains and terminal beta-D- glucuronic acid residues are linked to the core galactan units. Alisman PII showed significant potentiation of the reticuloendothelial system using a carbon clearance test and also potent anti-complementary activity. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHUNG-KUO CHUNG HSI I CHIEH HO TSA CHIH***** Zhou L Chen ZX Chen JY [Effect of wu lin powder and its ingredients on atrial natriuretic factor level in mice] In: Chung Kuo Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1995 Jan) 15(1):36-7 ISSN: 1003-5370 (Published in Chinese) Wu Lin powder (WLP) is a prescription that causes urination to remove dampness. In order to elucidate its mechanism of action, the effect of WLP on atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) was observed. The results showed that the level of ANF was significantly higher in the plasma of mice after giving WLP as well as giving Alisma orientalis or Cinnamomum cassia orally, compared with control, P < 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001 respectively. The effect was most evident at 45 minute after giving WLP (P < 0.05). It is suggested that ANF might play an important role in therapeutic action of WLP. Registry Numbers: 85637-73-6 (Atrial Natriuretic Factor) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JAPANESE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY***** Matsuda H Yamahara J Kobayashi G Fujimura H Kurahashi K Fujiwara M Effect of alismol on adrenergic mechanism in isolated rabbit ear artery. In: Jpn J Pharmacol (1988 Apr) 46(4):331-5 ISSN: 0021-5198 Effects of alismol, a sesquiterpenoid isolated from the rhyzome of Alisma orientale, on adrenergic mechanisms were examined in the isolated rabbit ear artery. Alismol (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) inhibited the contraction of isolated rabbit ear artery by electrical stimulation of the perivascular nerves. The inhibition was concentration-dependent; at a concentration of 10(-4) M, the inhibition was 90% (n = 8). Treatment with 10(-4) M alismol inhibited the increase in 3H-noradrenaline (3H-NAd) release induced by electrical stimulation by 63 +/- 6%. Alismol at 10(-4) M did not affect the neuronal uptake of 3H-NAd in the artery. Alismol at 10(-4) M slightly inhibited contractions induced by exogenously administered NAd. These results demonstrate that alismol inhibits the adrenergic neuro-effector mechanisms in rabbit ear artery, and they suggest that alismol acts primarily on nerve terminals and inhibits their responses to electrical stimulation by interfering with NAd release. Registry Numbers: 51-41-2 (Norepinephrine) 525-66-6 (Propranolol) 87827-55-2 (alismol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****YAKUGAKU ZASSHI. JOURNAL OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN***** Yoshikawa M Yamaguchi S Chatani N Nishino Y Matsuoka T Yamahara J Murakami N Matsuda H Kubo M [Crude drugs from aquatic plants. III. Quantitative analysis of triterpene constituents in alismatis rhizoma by means of high performance liquid chromatography on the chemical change of the constituents during alismatis rhizoma processing] In: Yakugaku Zasshi (1994 Apr) 114(4):241-7 ISSN: 0031-6903 (Published in Japanese) As a series of study on the evaluation of Alismatis Rhizoma and the chemical characterization of the processing, a quantitative method by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for ten triterpene constituents, alisols A, A monoacetate, B, B monoacetate, E 23- acetate, F, and G and 13,17-epoxyalisol A, 11-deoxyalisols B and B 23- acetate, has been developed. By the use of this HPLC method, the contents of these triterpenes in various Alismatis Rhizoma and the fresh rhizoma of Alisma oriental JUZEPC, originated from in China, Taiwan, and Japan were examined. Furthermore, the chemical change of the triterpene constituents during the drying process of the rhizoma of Alisma oriental has been investigated and it was found that the bioactive triterpenes of Alismatis Rhizoma such as alisol A and alisol A monoacetate were artificially formed during the drying process. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€