The 10% and 5% Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) formulations visually resembled CSS decoction most, but didn't show superior effects on gastrointestinal motility, inflammation, or pain.
The research examined four different CSS decoction formulations - a pure excipient placebo, and formulations diluted down to 2.5%, 5%, and 10% of the original CSS. These formulations were prepared by diluting CSS by 40-fold, 20-fold, and 10-fold using traditional decoction production methods. To gauge their similarity to the original CSS decoction, the formulations were compared in terms of color, odor, and taste using a mix of manual human scores and "intelligent sensory tools" (a colorimeter, electronic nose, and electronic tongue).
The research also tested potential pharmacological effects of the four CSS formulations, using animal studies. These tests incorporated measures such as gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion rates, inflammation using the xylene ear swelling test, and pain responses through hot plate analgesia tests.
The study found that the 10% and 5% CSS formulations were the most similar to the original CSS in appearance, even though a scoring method showed that all diluted CSS formulations scored higher than the pure excipient placebo. However, notable taste differences were found among the four formulations and original CSS. In the pharmacological aspect, none of the CSS formulations showed statistically significant differences from the control group in terms of improving gastrointestinal motility, anti-inflammatory properties, or analgesic efficacy. They concluded that while the 10% and 5% CSS formulations visually resembled the CSS decoction most, they still required further testing to validate their safety profiles.
