To investigate the effects of water extract of Echinacea purpurea on the endocrine hormones and material and energy metabolism in mice with deficiency-cold and deficiency-heat syndrome and explore the pharmacological characteristics of E.purpurea.Methods:Male KM mice were randomly divided into blank group,deficiency-heat model group,deficiency-heat Panax quinquefolius group,deficiency-heat low-dose E.purpurea extract group,deficiency-heat high-dose E.purpurea extract group,deficiency-cold model group,deficiency-cold P.ginseng group,deficiency-cold low-dose E.purpurea extract group,and deficiency-cold high-dose E.purpurea extract group.Mice in the deficiency-heat model group were administered water solution of thyroid tablets(160 mg/kg) orally daily,while those in the deficiency-cold model group received hydrocortisone solution(25 mg/kg) orally once daily for 14 consecutive days to establish the deficiency-heat and deficiency-cold models,respectively.Each treatment group received corresponding drugs orally.Serum levels of triiodothyronine(T3),thyroxine(T4),total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),total protein(TP),albumin(ALB),and glucose(GLU) were measured.The activities of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),succinate dehydrogenase(SDH),and Na+-K+-ATP in the liver were assessed using colorimetric methods.Real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used to detect mRNA expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7A2(COX7A2) and succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit D(SDHD) in liver tissue.Results:Compared to the deficiency-heat model group,E.purpurea extract improved the overall condition of deficiency-heat mice,with improvements in body weight and spleen index(P<0.05).Levels of T3 and T4 were significantly reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01),while levels of TP,ALB,GLU,and LDH were significantly increased(P<0.01).Expression levels of SDH,Na+-K+-ATP,COX7A2,and SDHD mRNA were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01).E.purpurea extract exhibited similar effects to P.quinquefolius with cold-nature properties.Compared to the deficiency-cold model group,E.purpurea extract showed no significant improvement in the overall condition,thymus index,or spleen index of deficiency-cold mice.However,high-dose E.purpurea extract significantly increased SDH and Na+-K+-ATP levels(P<0.01).There was no significant modulation of T3,T4,TP,ALB,TC,TG,GLU,COX7A2 mRNA,or SDHD mRNA expression levels in deficiency-cold mice treated with E.purpurea extract(P>0.05).E.purpurea extract exhibited effects contrary to P.ginseng with warm-nature properties.Conclusion:E.purpurea extract exhibits a cool-nature property,which may be the material basis for its cool-nature pharmacological characteristics. |