Possible active components of Tan-Shen and Zi-Cao for ischemic heart disease

• Project/Area Number: 60571010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Chemical pharmacy
• Research Institution: Fukuyama University
• Principal Investigator: YAGI Akira Fukuyama University , Professor, 薬学部, 教授 (20037609)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKEO Satoshi Fukuyama University , Professor, 薬学部, 教授 (00136722)
• Project Period (FY): 1985 – 1986
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 1986)
• Budget Amount: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000); Fiscal Year 1986: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
• Keywords: ischemic heart disease / Tan-Shen / Zi-Cao / pharmacological active substances / Tanshinone I

Research Abstract

Extracts of Tan-shen(Salvia miltiorrhiza) and Zi-cao(Lithospermum erythrorhizon),Chinese traditional crude drugs, were reported to show activity for heart disease. Chemical examinations on these extracts were performed on the basis of the screening for hypoxic heart using isolated,perfused rat heart. The heart was subjected to hypoxic perfusion for 15 min,followed by 45 min-reoxygenation,and the recovery of cardiac contractile force and changes in UV absorbance of the perfusate were examined. Following compounds were isolated and identified: Tanshinone I,Tanshinone II,Dihydrotanshinone, Crypto-tanshinone from Salvia miltiorrhiza ; Acetylshikonin, <alpha> -Methyl n-butyrylshikonin,Shikonin from Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Among the compounds isolated Tanshinone I and Acetylshikonin elicited a significant recovery of the contractile force upon reoxygenation. Furthermore,depression of the increase in UV absorbance of the perfusate was also observed in hearts receiving Tanshinone I and Acetylshikonin. The results suggest that these substances are beneficial for the protection of myocardium from ischemia-induced derangements of myocardial function and metabloism.