Metabolic profiling of the Chinese herbal mixture Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang and its immunomodulatory effects in U937 cells

Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang (HQJZT), a classical TCM formulation, has been used traditionally for chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, autonomic dystonia, chronic hepatitis and chronic nephritis. The formula is a mixture of six herbs consisting of 9 g Astragali radix (Huang Qi), 18 g Paeoniae radix (Shao Yao), 9 g Cinnamomi ramulus (Gui Zhi), 8 g Jujubae fructus (Da Zao), 6 g Glycyrrhizae praeparatae radix (Zhi Gan Cao) and 9 g Zingiberis rhizoma recens (Sheng Jiang). TLC- and HPLC-methods, including LC-DAD-MS/MS, have been developed for the analysis of the metabolic profiles of the single herbs and of the mixture. Decoctions of the single herbs and of the mixture have been fractionated with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and butanol, and have been analysed by TLC and HPLC in order to trace the herbs in the mixture. As a result, five constituents of Huang Qi, eight constituents of Shao Yao, two constituents of Gui Zhi, twenty constituents of Zhi Gan Cao, six constituents of Sheng Jiang, and no known constituent of Da Zao have been assigned in the chemical profiles of the formula, which now allows a standardization of the mixture. The results of the pharmacological testing showed that the DCM, EtOAc and butanol fractions of the mixture decoction of HQJZT significantly inhibited the expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β and IL-4 in U937 cells. The water fraction of the mixture decoction also inhibited the expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β in U937 cells, but stimulated the expression of IL-4.

Acknowledgement: The project has been financially supported by the Austrian Federal Ministries of Health and of Science and Research, and by the China State-Funded Postgraduate Overseas Study Program.