Mun Fa Lee

Abstract

Rehmannia glutinosa, Atractylus ovata, and Polygonatum chinense have all been employed by the Chinese as oral antidiabetic agents and reported by Min (1928), Kin (1931), and Li et al. (1936) to possess hypoglycemic activity. This prompted the pharmacological studies of these herbs.

Materials and methods. Their pharmacognosy was condensed from all available Chinese and scientific literature. Preliminary chemical and physical analyses included determinations for moisture, ash, crude fat, carbohydrates, protein, phosphorus, pH, alkaloids, melting point, and spectroscopy. Employing the Somogyi-Nelson method, their glycemic activity was studied in rats, rabbits, and dogs. Stress reactions were minimized. The effect of R. glutinosa was observed in a mild diabetic.

Pharmacological actions of various herb extracts were studied using the phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation of rats; cardiovascular and respiratory systems of dogs; guinea pig bronchioles; intact eyes; intestinal and uterine muscle strips of rabbits; and transplantable mouse tumors (Sarcoma 180, Carcinoma 775, Leukemia 1210). Absorption, excretion and toxicity were observed.

Results and conclusions. Alcoholic extracts of R. glutinosa produced, on intraperitoneal administration in rabbits, an initial mild hyperglycemia followed by a mild prolonged hypoglycemia. Long term oral administration of crude herbs in dogs and R. glutinosa in a mild diabetic showed no significant glycemic responses.

From chemical analyses, the caloric value per gram of herb was for R. glutinosa 2.23, for A. ovata 1.45 and P. chinese 2.06. The slight decreased in rate of weight loss on feeding A. ovata and R. glutinosa suggests the herbs possibly provided utilizable calories.

Chloroform fractions of A. ovata selectively blocked in vitro the neuromuscular junction similar to d-turbocurarine. R. glutinosa stimulated the smooth muscle of bronchi while A. ovata depressed intestinal smooth muscle. Alcoholic extracts of R. glutinosa showed initial tumor inhibiting effect on Sarcoma 180 and Carcinoma 755. In general, three herbs administered by various routes in several animal species showed no toxicity.

All other preliminary studies were negative.

LLU Discipline

Pharmacology

Department

Pharmacology

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Mervyn G. Hardings

Second Advisor

Ian M. Fraser

Third Advisor

Bernard E. Tilton

Fourth Advisor

Donovan A. Courville

Fifth Advisor

Jack D. Zwemer

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1959

Date (Title Page)

6-1959

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Medicine, Oriental Traditional; Diabetes Mellitus -- therapy; Plants, Medicinal

Type

Thesis

Page Count

x; 102

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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