Effect of Radix Platycodonis and Radix Cyathulae in Xuefu Zhuyu Tang on tissuedistribution of paeoniflorin in blood-stasis mice by HPLC: Experimentalevidence on Shi ingredients in traditional formula compatibility

Abstract

Xuefu Zhuyu Tang (XFZY), a famous formula in traditional Chinese medicine, has been demonstrated to show goodtherapeutic effects on diseases caused by blood stasis syndrome. Two of its eleven herbs, Radix Platycodonis and RadixCyathulae, have been considered as Shi ingredients in the hierarchy of traditional formula compatibility and provenpossessing synergistic properties that strengthen the formula's potency of activating blood circulation and resolving bloodstagnation. However, its mechanism is still not clearly elucidated. In our previous study, we observed their effects onpaeoniflorin pharmacokinetics of XFZY in rats. In this study, we continued by detecting and comparing their effect on thetissue distribution of paeoniflorin after oral administration of XFZY and its three variants (XFZY without RadixPlatycodonis or/and Radix Cyathulae) in blood-stasis mice via HPLC assay. The results indicated that combining usage ofRadix Platycodonis and Radix Cyathula increased the distribution of paeoniflorin in the lung and kidney and introduced thepaeoniflorin into the liver, spleen and heart. It might explain their synergistic properties that strengthen the formula's effectof invigorating blood and dissolving stasis and provide experimental evidence to understand the pharmacological effects ofShi herbs in the hierarchy of traditional formula compatibility