Evaluation of herbal formulas by pulse analysis method.

AIM: To distinguish the component difference between two similar herbal formulas by pulse analysis method. Many Chinese herbs were found to have specific effects on the Fourier components of the blood pressure pulse; it might infer a specific blood redistribution process on the body and reflect the health conditions of specific organs or tissues. The pulse effect of an herbal formula was similar to the linear combination of all its herbal compositions. METHODS: Two different versions of the herbal formula Liu-Wei-Dihuang were fed to the Wistar rats as a single blind test. The blood pressure pulses on the rat tail artery were recorded and then transformed to the frequency domain by Fourier analyzer. RESULTS: Formula A, Bai-Wei-Dihuang, with two more herbs Cortex Cinnamomi and Radix Aconiti added to Liu-Wei-Dihuang, increased the harmonic proportion of the 1st harmonic (C1) but decreased C4, C5. Formula B is composed in the same way but without Rhizoma Batatatis and Poria cocos; it increased the DC of the pulse spectrum (C0), but decreased C2, C3, C4, C5, C6. CONCLUSION: The component adjustment of an herbal formula could be distinctly and quantitatively detected by pulse analysis method.