Application of radioligand receptor binding assays in the search for CNS active principles from Chinese medicinal plants

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 1996-11, Vol.54 (2), p.153-164
• Main Authors: Zhu, Min, Bowery, Norman G., Greengrass, Pamela M., Phillipson, J.David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System Agents - metabolism; Central Nervous System Agents - pharmacology; Chinese medicinal plants; CNS; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - methods; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - analysis; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - metabolism; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; General pharmacology; Guinea Pigs; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plants, Medicinal; Radioligand Assay; Radioligand receptor binding assays; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Swine
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(96)01454-7

Extracts of Schefflera bodinieri and S. delavayi (Araliaceae), Celastrus angulatus and C. orbiculatus (Celastraceae), Clerodendrum mandarinorum and C. bungei (Verbenaceae), Periploca callophylla and P. forrestii (Asclepiadaceae), Alangium platanifolium (Alangiaceae) and Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae) were assessed for CNS activity against 18 radioligand receptor binding assays. The receptors used were α1-, α2- and β-adrenoceptors, 5HT-1, 5HT-1A, 5HT-2, opiate, adenosine-1, benzodiazepine, Ca +2 channel, sulphonylureas, dopamine-1, dopamine-2, muscarinic, histamine-1, Na + K + ATPase, GABA A and GABA B. The results indicate that these ligand-receptor binding assays are useful for understanding the mode of action of herbal medicines and for bioassay guided fractionation of plant active ingredients.