Translated Abstract
Background And Objective:
Rhino horn is derived from the keratinocytes of angle of rhinoceros branchs. Horns are organic matters which locate in the centre of the rhino surface of nasal bone. The material composition of horns begin in the hair, and then growth and harden to hard cuticles. The horns contain keratin, cholesterol, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, tyrosine, proteins, peptides, free amino acid, guanidine derivatives, sterols and other ingredients, etc. Rhino horn is present in a conical, from the bottom up gradually thin, slightly curved, and differs in length. Rhino horn has the effects of clearing-heat, cool-blood, calming the frightened, detoxification, spread gas. It is a unique valuable Chinese herbal medicine from animal origin. Rhino horn possess potent activity, distinctly curative effect, and less adverse effects. Beacue horn is raw material for the precious Chinese medicinal materials and crafts sculpture, the values of horn are expensive. In addition, the rhino horn`s populations are dwindling with the he increase of rhino hunting, the separation of the loss of habitat and species. As a traditional Chinese herbal medicine raw materials, the wild rhinoceros horn is rarely to obtain. In order to save the endangered rhinos, white and Asian rhino in 1973, and the black rhino in 1977 were included in the appendix I of “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)”. All of those actions ended the legally trading of the wildlife rhino horn. Due to the protection of wildlife protection laws, the wildlife rhino horn has been disabled in clinical use. At present, buffalo horn rhino horn are used as an alternative use of chinese traditional herbal medicines. Thus, looking for similar substitutes plays an important role for the protection of wild animals and promoting the development of traditional Chinese medicine. This study investigated the pharmacodynamics of living horn, and determined that whether the living horn can be used as a substitute for rhino horn.
Methods:
The bacterial endotoxin rabbit model was used to study antipyretic effects. The dry yeast was adminstrated to rats to induce fever model which was applicated to research the antipyretic effect. Writhing test, hot plate test, formaldehyde test, and thermo-stimulation test were used for evaluating the analgesic effect in mice. Ankle swelling test for rat, and cotton pelletgranuloma in mice, and auricular swelling test in mice, and the permeation of abdominal blood vessel test were used to study the anti-inflammatory effects of liviing horn. The locomotor activity recorder was used to record the locomotor activity of mice to study the sedation effects. The nikethamide convulsion method was used to anticonvulsant effects. The mouse disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) model was induced by intravenous injection of thrombin and aminocaproic acid to study the role on DIC.
Results:
The results of the antipyretic effect experment showed that living rhino horn in concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg could significantly prevent the rabbit fever reaction causing by bacterial endotoxin, which were better than those of rhino horn group. Living rhino horn in concentrations of 220 and 440 mg/kg significantly decreased the increased body temperature of rats causing by dry yeast. There was no significant difference of the effect between living rhino horn and rhino horn at the same dose. The results of the analgesic effect showed that living rhino horn in concentrations of 0.35, 0.7, and 1.4 g/kg markly prolonged the incubation period of body torsion and decreased writhing times of mice causing by acetic acid. Living rhino horn at the dose of 1.4 g/kg, and horn at the dose of 0.7 and 1.4 g/kg significantly decresaed the rat pain threshold caused by hot plate. The analgesic effects indued by formaldehyde method of living rhino horn at the doses of 0.175, 0.35, and 0.7 g/kg in the second phase were more potent than the first phase, there was no significant difference of the analgesic effects between living rhino horn and rhino horn group. Living rhino horn at the doses of 440, 220 and 110 mg/kg, and rhino horn at the dose of 440mg/kg markly increaed the pain threshold causing by thermo-stimulation method, however, there was no singinficant different of the pain threshold between the rhino horn at the doses of 220 and 110 mg/kg group and control group. The results of the antiinflammatory test showed that living rhino horn and rhino horn at the doses of 110, 220 and 440 mg/kg siginficantly inhibited the swelling of rat foot-plate causing by albumen. The weights of cotton granuloma in mice were significantly decreased when the living rhino horn and rhino horn at the doses of 350 and 700 mg/kg. Living rhino horn and at the doses of 350 and 700 mg/kg, and rhino horn at the doses of 350 mg/kg can siginficantly reduced the capillary permeability in abdominal cavity. Living rhino horn and horn at the doses of 175, 350 and 700 mg/kg can notably reduce the restrain the xylene-induced swelling of mice ear, indicating that living rhino horn has a significantly anti-inflammatory effect. The results of autonomic activity and anti-convulsion tests showed that living rhino horn 200 mg/kg and rhino horn 100 mg/kg markly reduced the autonomic activities of mice, indicating that all of those have siginificant Sedative effects. Living rhino horn at the doses of horn 700, 350, 175 and 350 mg/kg, and rhino horn at the doses of 350, 175 and 90 mg/kg can significantly reduce the incidence of eclampsia and/or mortality, and all of them have significant anti-convulsion effects. The results of the procoagulant activity experment showed that living rhino horn and rhino horn at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly increased the platelet counts, shorted the thrombin time and prothrombin time and theactivated partial thromboplastin time in DIC mice model. There was no significant difference of indicators of DIC the btween living rhino horn and rhino horn at the same dose.
Conclusion:
Living rhino horn possesses obvious antipyretic and analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative and anticonvulsants and procoagulant functions. These effects of living rhino horn are similar to, but not weak than ones of rhino horn.
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