The comparative examination of pharmacological effects of musk containing and civet containing WooHwangChungSimWon on the hypertension and heart contraction

Abstract

WooHwangChungSimWon is a traditional prescription formula for treating with hypertension, arteriosclerosis, coma, and stroke in China, Korea, and Japan. In the new prescription of WooHwangChungSimWon, the civet is substituted for the musk, the major component of WooHwangChungSimwon, because of the prohibition law (CITES) on the commercial use of musk. We have made a comparative study of the effects on the hypertension and contractile force of heart between the musk-containing and civet-containing WooHwangChungSimWon. The SHR rats were used for investigating the effects on the hypertension and the rabbits were used for investigating effects on the contractile force of isolated heart. The blood pressure which was recorded during the adminstration period showed that all the samples except the low dose of musk-containing WooHwangChungSimWon decreased the blood pressure, and the effects on the heart works of all the samples were higher than control group, which resulted from the examination of isolated heart. These results suggest that all the musk-containing and civet-containing WooHwangChungSimWon formula have similar protective effects on hypertension and palpitation.