8
70
Vol. 27, No. 6
adrenalectomized rats (Table 3).
spironolactone showed a dose-dependent blocking activity to
Absorption of Ergone The characteristic peaks of er- the effect of DOCA, which is an effect of the sodium loss
gone at the retention time of 30.8 min in blood and bile spec- and potassium retention. The effect of ergone on the varia-
imens were identified according to the same retention time tion in the urinary ratio of Na/K may deduce two possibilities
and UV spectra as those of ergone standard (Fig. 2).
of ergone having aldosterone-blocking activity and having a
direct effect on Na/K ion channel. The following tests in
DOCA-untreated adrenalectomized rats was undertaken
based on such an consideration as ergone’s effect was not as-
DISCUSSION
It is thought that Polyporus Sclerotium, among the crude sociated with DOCA if it directly affected on Na/K ion chan-
drugs, possesses a relative diuretic effect and the ability to nel. The experimental data showed that the significantly dif-
reinforce the functioning of water pathways capable of drain ferent effect was not confirmed in comparison the ergone-
dampness, which is described in such an ancient work as treated group with the control group. Thus, it is suggested
Shennong’s Herbal Classics (神農本草経), Shen nong ben that ergone is an antagonism to aldosterone without a direct
cao jing). It was also described that it promotes urination and effect on Na/K ion channel. All above-mentioned results
leaves out dampness, the problems caused by stagnance of make clear that ergone may increases urinary volume in the
dampness such as edema, scanty urine, vaginal discharge, states of water accumulation or in the stimulated states of
cloudy painful urinary dysfunction, as well as jaundice and water re-absorption caused by mineralocorticoids.
7)
diarrhea. As to its diuretic effect reported in early litera-
Study on the absorption of ergone in the gastrointestinal
tures, the active components were not related although its de- tract is important for the traditional Chinese medicine since
coction showed the ability to block the absorption of urinary Polyporus Sclerotium is a crude drug combined in the tradi-
7)
electrolyte and water. It is reported as well that in normal tional prescriptions. The attempt to identify ergone from
dosage, it has shown no significant the diuretic effect in hu- blood and bile specimens was made by administrating it to
mans or animals, while in slight higher dosage, an increase the gastrointestinal tract. The elucidation of HPLC analytical
7)
of urine production of up to 62% has been demonstrated.
data confirmed it both in blood and in bile for by the same
This herb does not contain high level of potassium, and it is retention time and UV spectra from both specimens. It
thought that its diuretic effect takes place at the level of the demonstrates that ergone is absorbed by oral route. However,
8
)
glomeruli.
the content of ergone in Polyporus Sclerotium is about 0.003
3)
3)
Our previous study suggested that ergone may be used as (w/w) %, and the dosage in this experiment is too higher
a marker component for the chemical standardization of than the human dosage. Since this herbal medicine showed
Polyporus Sclerotium, which has a great similarity to spin- diuretic effects in clinical trials, there would be other ac-
orolactone-like diuretics (Fig. 1), anti-aldosteronic agents, tive constituents in this herb, and further studies to isolate
from the chemically structural standpoint. Thus, it is investi- other diuretic constituents are needed.
gated whether it is associated with the anti-aldosteronic di-
7,8)
uretic effects in this paper. Ergone did not show a significant CONCLUSIONS
effect on urinary excretion of sodium and potassium in nor-
mal rats at the dose of 1.0 mg or 10 mg per rat. In such an ex-
1. Ergone, one of components in Polyporus Sclerotium,
periment as a rat was loaded 2.5 ml of saline, the functioning possesses a diuretic effect by blocking mineralcorticoids.
the urinary water excretion, caused by elevation of circula-
tory plasma volume, may result in a negative feedback to the
2. Ergone can be absorbed by oral route.
mechanism of water re-absorption. In this instance, it may be REFERENCES
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(
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)
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significant low urinary ratio of Na/K. Thus, the effect of
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Yuan, Dan
