Bidirectional Effective Components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma on Gastrointestinal Peristalsis

To find the bidirectional effective components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (AMR) on gastrointestinal peristalsis (GIP). Multi-mode separation methods (solvent partition method and macroporous adsorptive resins)were used to split AMR component; HPLC and GC-MS were used to analyze the main compounds of fractions; the indexes included gastric residual rate and intestinal propulsive rate were used to observe the effects of AMR and its fractions on GIP; ELISA was used to examine the level of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and P substance (SP) in antrum and ileum. The Water Decoction (WD) of AMR was separated into five fractions, namely, Volatile Oil Fraction (VOF), Petroleum Ether Fraction (PEF), Alcohol Eluate Fraction (AEF), Water Eluate Fraction (WEF) and polysaccharides (CPF); the GIP was promoted in mice with dose of 1.0 g kg(-1) WD, VOF, CPF and WEF. However, GIP was inhibited in mice with dose of WD (10.0 g kg(-1)), PEF and AEF. The AMR had bidirectional regulation effects on gastrointestinal function; the VOF (contained monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes components), WEF (contained 5-hydroxymethyl furfural and small molecular sugar) and CPF (contained in ulin-type oligosaccharides) are the fractions of AMR for promotion effects on GIP and PEF (contained sesquiterpene lactone) and AEF (contained polyacetylene) of AMR played opposite action; the underlying action mechanism maybe relate to the SP and VIP levels.