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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Antitussive, anti-pyretic and toxicological evaluation of Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang in rodents

Authors: Yu-Chin Lin, Ching-Wen Chang, Chi-Rei Wu

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang (abbreviated as MXGST), an important Chinese herbal prescribed for cough, bronchial inflammation and fever from pneumonia, consists of four medicinal herbs, including Ephedrae herb, Semen Pruni Armeniacae, licorice and Gypsum. These components, especially Ephedrae and Semen Pruni Armeniacae, possess antitussive activities, but they have severe adverse effects.

Methods

The pharmacological activities of MXGST extract in clinical use were investigated with citric acid-induced cough, acetylcholine/histamine-induced bronchial contraction and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever in rodents. The subacute toxicology of MXGST extract was evaluated after a 28-day repeated oral administration in rats.

Results

Each gram of MXGST extract contained 60 ± 8 μg of ephedrine, 480 ± 40 μg of glycyrrhizic acid and 440 ± 8 μg of amygdalin according to high performance liquid chromatography and a photodiode array detector. MXGST extract produced pronounced, dose-dependent antitussive effects in guinea pigs and reduced hyperthermic syndrome induced by LPS in rats. MXGST extract blocked the bronchial contraction induced by acetylcholine/histamine. Oral administration of MXGST extract for 28 days did not cause any hematological, biochemical or histological changes in rats.

Conclusions

MXGST extract is a safer, more effective Chinese prescription with antitussive and anti-pyretic effects. The antitussive mechanism of MXGST is related to partially relaxing the bronchial smooth muscle by blocking acetylcholinergic and histaminergic receptors.
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Metadata
Title
Antitussive, anti-pyretic and toxicological evaluation of Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang in rodents
Authors
Yu-Chin Lin
Ching-Wen Chang
Chi-Rei Wu
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1440-2

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