Biothermodynamic Assay of Coptis-Evodia Herb Couples

Objective. To illustrate the difference in cold/hot natural properties and therapeutic effect of coptis-evodia herb couples by using cold/hot plate differentiating technology and microcalorimetry combined with material basis analysis in vivo and in vitro. It showed that animal retention ratio in hot pad significantly decreased along with the decrease in coptis proportion in coptis-evodia herb couples. In addition, Zuojin wan markedly reduced the retention ratio of gastritis mice in the hot pad, while Fanzuojin wan displayed an opposite result. Further, Mg(2+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase, and T-AOC activity significantly weakened in coptis-treated group in the livers of the mice. In the gastric cells from the gastritis mice, Fanzuojin wan remarkably increased calorific value for growth and metabolism, while Zuojin wan significantly reduced the calorigenic effect. It suggested that the changes in the major chemical compositions (especially alkaloids) were the material base-induced transformation between "cold" and "hot" syndromes. The material basis which affected the transformation between "cold" and "hot" syndromes might be X2, X3, X4, X8, epiberberine hydrochloride, jatrorrhizine hydrochloride, coptisine sulphate, palmatine hydrochloride, and berberine hydrochloride. The CHPD combined with microcalorimetry technology is a good method to determine the differences in the "cold" and "hot" natural properties of coptis-evodia herb couples.