Research on Fuzi based on animal thermotropism behavior to discover if it has fewer "hot" characteristics without Ganjiang

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Praeparata) has fewer "hot" characteristics when administered without Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis). METHODS: Differences in the thermotropism behaviors of mice treated either with Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Praeparata), Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) or the combination of the two given intragastrically were investigated using the Animal Thermotropism Behavior Surveillance System. The water intake volume, oxygen consumption volume, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity were determined during the investigation. RESULTS: When Fuzi and Ganjiang were administered together, the rate at which mice remained on a warm plate ("remaining rate") and the times and distances of their movement were all significantly reduced (P<0.05). Compared with the Normal group, the reduction was 55.1%, 48.3% and 44.8%, while compared with the Fuzi group, the reduction was 57.6%, 34.3% and 36.0%, indicating that "cold" tropism was significantly increased. Compared with the Normal and Fuzi groups, the ATPase activity and the respiratory oxygen consumption volume of the Fuzi + Ganjiang group were significantly increased (P<0.05), suggesting an improvement in energy metabolism and showing a "hot" characteristic when Fuzi and Ganjiang are present together. Additionally, the T-AOC and T-SOD activity were significantly enhanced (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The behavior of mice tending toward "cold" tropism can be regarded as a quantitative reflection of Fuzi having fewer characteristics consistent w ith a "hot" nature when not used with Ganjiang, the functional mechanism of which may be a change in the ATPase activity in liver tissue. (C) 2012 JTCM. All rights reserved.