Identifying the functions and biomarkers of Codonopsis pilosula and Astragalus membranaceus aqueous extracts in hepatic cells

摘要

BackgroundHomeostasis is a crucial concept used to describe the condition of patients and the roles of herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. Qi-deficiency pattern is one of the conditions when loss of homeostasis and is usually characterized by symptoms including lassitude, spontaneous sweating, and a weak pulse, which are not easy to quantitate. Codonopsis pilosula and Astragalus membranaceus were usually prescribed for carriers with hepatitis and patients with metastatic colon cancer, because these patients tended to experience fatigue. However, crude drugs were prescribed based on the exterior symptoms of patients without controlling clinical setting, such as gender, age, and dietary habits. Limited molecular evidence of using gene expression as the guide for description is available. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify potential and objective biomarkers of these two qi-related drugs in a simplified cellular system.