Ferulic Acid Enhances the Chemical and Biological Properties of Astragali Radix: A Stimulator for Danggui Buxue Tang, An Ancient Chinese Herbal Decoction

Abstract

Danggui Buxue Tang, an ancient formula composed of Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix, has been used for treating menopausal irregularity in women for more than 800 years in China. In Danggui Buxue Tang, the complete functions of Astragali Radix require the assistance of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and both herbs have to work harmoniously in order to achieve the maximal therapeutic purposes. In order to analyze the relationship of the two herbs, the role of ferulic acid, a major chemical within Angelicae Sinensis Radix, in chemical and biological properties of Astragali Radix was determined. Using ferulic acid in the extraction of Astragali Radix, the amounts of astragaloside IV, calycosin, and formononetin were increased in the final extract; however, the Astragali Radix polysaccharide showed a minor increase. The chemical-enriched Astragali Radix extract showed robust induction in osteogenic and estrogenic activities in cultured osteosarcoma MG-63 and breast MCF-7 cells. However, ferulic acid itself did not show such biological responses. The current results strongly suggest that Angelicae Sinensis Radix-derived ferulic acid is a positive regulator for Danggui Buxue Tang, which enhanced the solubilities of active ingredients derived from Astragali Radix, and which therefore increased the biological efficacies of Danggui Buxue Tang.

Key words

Danggui Buxue Tang - Leguminosae - Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus - Umbelliferae - Angelica sinensis - ferulic acid

• References

• 1 Zhan JY, Zheng KYZ, Zhu KY, Bi CW, Zhang WL, Du CY, Fu Q, Dong TT, Choi RC, Tsim KW, Lau DT. Chemical and biological assessment of Angelicae Sinensis Radix after processing with wine: an orthogonal array design to reveal the optimized conditions. J Agric Food Chem 2011; 59: 6091-6098
• 2 Zheng KYZ, Choi RC, Guo AJ, Bi CW, Zhu KY, Du CY, Zhang ZX, Lau DT, Dong TT, Tsim KW. The membrane permeability of Astragali Radix-derived formononetin and calycosin is increased by Angelicae Sinensis Radix in Caco-2 cells: a synergistic action of an ancient herbal decoction Danggui Buxue Tang. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2012; 70: 671-679
• 3 Song ZH, Ji ZH, Lo CK, Dong TTX, Zhao KJ, Li OTW, Haines CJ, Kung SD, Tsim KWK. Chemical and biological assessment of a traditional Chinese herbal decoction prepared from Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae Sinensis: orthogonal array design to optimize the extraction of chemical constituents. Planta Med 2004; 70: 1222-1227
• 4 Dong TTX, Zhao KJ, Gao QT, Ji ZN, Zhu TT, Li J, Duan R, Cheung AW, Tsim KWK. Chemical and biological assessment of a Chinese herbal decoction containing Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae Sinensis: Determination of drug ratio in having optimized properties. J Agric Food Chem 2006; 54: 2767-2774
• 5 Wu DZ, Song CQ, Hen ZF, Kong JL, Fan Y, Hu ZB. Effects of Angelicae Sinensis decoction for supplementing blood on the cardiac function in myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury of rats. Pharmcol Clin Chin Mater Med 1999; 15: 3-6
• 6 Ning L, Chen CX, Jin RM, Wu YP, Zhang HG, Sun CL, Song CQ, Hu ZB. Effect of components of Dang-Gui-Bu-Xue decoction on hematopenia. Chin J Chin Mater Med 2002; 27: 50-53
• 7 Gao QT, Choi RCY, Cheung AWH, Zhu JT, Li J, Chu GKY, Duan R, Cheung JKH, Jiang ZY, Dong XB, Zhao KJ, Dong TTX, Tsim KWK. Danggui Buxue Tang – a Chinese herbal decoction activates the phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and estrogen receptor alpha in cultured MCF-7 cells. FEBS Lett 2007; 581: 233-240
• 8 Choi RCY, Gao QT, Cheung AWH, Zhu JTT, Lau FTC, Li J, Li WZM, Chu GKY, Duan R, Cheung JKH, Ding AW, Zhao KJ, Dong TTX, Tsim KWK. A Chinese herbal decoction, Danggui Buxue Tang, stimulates proliferation, differentiation and gene expression of cultured osteosarcoma cells: genomic approach to reveal specific gene activation. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2009; DOI: 10.1093/ecam/nen085.
• 9 Pharmacopoeia Commission. Angelica Sinensis Radix. Pharmacopoeia of the Peopleʼs Republic of China, Volume 1. Beijing: Chemistry Medical Science and Technology Press; 2010: 124-125
• 10 Zheng KYZ, Choi RC, Li J, Xie HQ, Cheung AW, Duan R, Guo AJ, Zhu JT, Chen VP, Bi CW, Zhu Y, Lau DD, Dong TT, Lau BW, Tsim KW. Ligustilide suppresses the biological properties of Danggui Buxue Tang: a Chinese herbal decoction composed of Radix Astragali and Radix Angelica Sinensis. Planta Med 2010; 76: 439-443
• 11 Pharmacopoeia Commission. Astragali Radix. Pharmacopoeia of the Peopleʼs Republic of China, Volume 1. Beijing: Chemistry Medical Science and Technology Press; 2010: 283-284
• 12 Li J, Bao Y, Lam W, Li W, Lu F, Zhu X, Liu J, Wang H. Immunoregulatory and anti-tumor effects of polysaccharopeptide and Astragalus polysaccharides on tumor-bearing mice. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2008; 30: 771-782
• 13 Kikuzaki H, Hisamoto M, Hirose K, Akiyama K, Taniguchi H. Antioxidant properties of ferulic acid and its related compounds. J Agric Food Chem 2002; 50: 2161-2168
• 14 Srinivasan M, Sudheer AR, Menon VP. Ferulic acid: therapeutic potential through its antioxidant property. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2007; 40: 92-100
• 15 Kampa M, Alexaki VI, Notas G, Nifli AP, Nistikaki A, Hatzoglou A, Bakogeorgou E, Kouimtzoglou E, Blekas G, Boskou D, Gravanis A, Castanas E. Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of selective phenolic acids on T47D human breast cancer cells: potential mechanisms of action. Breast Cancer Res 2004; 6: R63-R74
• 16 Lee YS. Role of NADPH oxidase-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species in the mechanism of apoptosis induced by phenolic acids in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Arch Pharm Res 2005; 28: 1183-1189
• 17 Xu DH, Wang S, Mei XT, Luo XJ, Xu SB. [Studies on solubility enhancement of curcumin by polyvinylpyrrolidione K30]. Zhong Yao Cai 2008; 31: 438-442
• 18 Lee S, Seo DH, Park HL, Choi Y, Jung S. Solubility enhancement of a hydrophobic flavonoid, luteolin by the complexation with cyclosophoraoses isolated from Rhizobium meliloti . Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2003; 84: 201-207
• 19 Liu J, Hu X, Yang Q, Yu Z, Zhao Z, Yi T, Chen H. Comparison of the immunoregulatory function of different constituents in Radix Astragali and Radix Hedysari. Biomed Biotechnol 2010; DOI: 10.1155/2010/479426.
• 20 Li X, Chen D, Mai Y, Wen B, Wang X. Concordance between antioxidant activities in vitro and chemical components of Radix Astragali (Huangqi). Nat Prod Res 2012; 26: 1050-1053
• 21 Ma XQ, Shi Q, Duan JA, Dong TT, Tsim KW. Chemical analysis of Radix Astragali (Huangqi) in China: a comparison with its adulterants and seasonal variations. J Agric Food Chem 2002; 50: 4861-4866
• 22 Zhao KJ, Dong TTX, Tu PF, Song ZH, Lo CK, Tsim KWK. Molecular genetic and chemical assessment of Radix Angelica (Danggui) in China. J Agric Food Chem 2003; 51: 2576-2583
• 23 Guo AJ, Choi RC, Cheung AW, Chen VP, Xu SL, Dong TT, Chen JJ, Tsim KW. Baicalin, a flavone, induces the differentiation of cultured osteoblasts: an action via the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. J Biol Chem 2011; 286: 27882-27893
• 24 Zhu TT, Choi RCY, Chu GKY, Cheung AWH, Gao QT, Li J, Jiang ZY, Dong TTX, Tsim KWK. Flavonoids possess neuroprotective effects on cultured pheochromocytoma PC12 cells: a comparison of different flavonoids in activating estrogenic effect and in preventing beta-amyloid-induced cell death. J Agric Food Chem 2007; 55: 2438-2445