Quantification of “Cold-Hot” Medicinal Properties of Chinese Medicines Based on Primary Metabolites and Fisher's Analysis

BACKGROUND: Chinese medicinal properties (CMP) are an important part of the basic theory of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Quantitative research on the properties of TCMs is of great significance to deepen the understanding and application of the theory of drug properties and promoting the modernization of TCMs. However, these studies are limited to strong subjectivity or distinguish different drug properties based on certain indicators since CMP studies are diverse. OBJECTIVE: To realize quantitative comparison of same medicinal properties of different Chinese medicines. METHOD: To solve the above problem, we proposed and explored quantification of Chinese medicinal properties (QMP) and the quantification value of medicinal properties “R”. The correlation between primary metabolites and “cold-hot” medicinal properties was explored on the premise of material basis of Chinese herbal medicines and Fisher's analysis. Based on indicators related to “cold-hot” medicinal properties, we utilized quantitative values “R” to characterize the strength or weakness of “cold-hot” medicinal properties. RESULTS: According to QMP, the same medicinal properties were quantified and compared by quantification value of medicinal properties that expressed by alphabet “R”. The general theoretical formula of “R” deduced is R = (‖l‖ × cos θ)/‖L‖ = ∑(i=1)(n)j(i)p(i)/∑(i=1)(n)p(i)(2), in which n ≥ 1. In the light of formula of “R” and indicators related to “cold-hot” medicinal properties, we got “R” value of “cold-cool” and “warm-hot” medicinal properties. “R” values of “cold-cool” medicinal properties of Phellodendri chinensis cortex, Coptidis rhizoma, and Menthae haplocalycis herba were 0.63, 1.00, and 0.49, respectively. The result showed that Coptidis rhizoma is the most “cold-cool”, followed by Phellodendri chinensis cortex, with Menthae haplocalycis herba is the weakest in the three Chinese medicines, consistent with cognition of TCM theory. CONCLUSION: QMP has certain guiding significance for the quantification of “cold and hot” drug properties. “R” is feasible to realize the quantitative comparison of the same drug properties of different traditional Chinese medicine, which is helpful to promote process of modern Chinese medicine construction.