Hemostasis and uterine contraction promoting effect of the extract from drugs in the Zi-Yin-Tiao-Jing granule, a traditional Chinese compound preparation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:Zi-Yin-Tiao-Jing granule (ZG) is a traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation for perimenopausal dysfunctional uterine bleeding. It is made from 9 Chinese crude drugs based on a modified traditional Chinese prescription recorded in Fu Qingzhu Nvke as Guben Zhibeng Tang. AIM OF THE STUDY:This study aimed to investigate the hemostasis and uterine contraction promoting effect of quality controlled ZG extract on animals as a preclinical study. MATERIALS AND METHODS:ZG extract was quality controlled by determining the contents of asperosaponin Ⅵ and tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG) with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the contents of total tannins, total saponins and total flavonoids with ultraviolet spectrophotometry (UV). Bleeding time, clotting time, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and fibrinogen (FIB) content were assayed to test the hemostasis effect of ZG extract on sixty healthy female Kunming mice. In addition, ten healthy female Sprague-Dawley rats were used to test the effect of ZG extract on uterine contractions in vitro with the BL-420 Biological Function Experiment System. RESULTS:The ZG extract contained 0.81mgg-1 asperosaponin Ⅵ, 0.15mgg-1 TSG, 1.98mgg-1 total tannins, 1.83mgg-1 total saponins, and 4.09mgg-1 total flavonoids. Compared with placebo, the ZG extract shortened the bleeding time at a dosage of 1.2gkg-1 and 2.4gkg-1, and shortened the clotting time at 0.6gkg-1, 1.2gkg-1 and 2.4gkg-1 in mice (P < 0.01). It also decurtated the APTT at a dosage of 0.6gkg-1 (P < 0.05) and raised the content of FIB in the plasma at a dosage of 2.4gkg-1 (P < 0.05). However, the PT showed no changes after the administration of ZG extract (P > 0.05). In addition, ZG extract at the doses of 1.8mgmL-1, 3.6mgmL-1, and 5.4mgmL-1 increased the amplitude and motoricity of uterine contractions of rats (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) but maintained the frequency as unchanged. CONCLUSIONS:The ZG extract was quality controllable by assaying for asperosaponin Ⅵ, TSG, total tannins, total saponins and total flavonoids. It could promote the hemostasis of mice in vivo, as well as the uterine contractions of rats in vitro. Therefore, it may be a promising preparation for clinical treatment of perimenopausal dysfunctional uterine bleeding.