Abstract:

The facilitative effects of four bioactive extracts from Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum, a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal herb, on the growth of two kinds of intestinal diagnostic flora were investigated by the microcalorimetry. By analyzing the power-time curves, quantitative parameters, such as the growth rate constant (k), maximumheat output power (Pmax), peak time of maximumheat output power (tp), and effective power (E), were obtained to characterize the interactions of the extracts and Bifidobacterium adolescentis, which benefits the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance. The potential pharmacological action of the four bioactive extracts was analyzed to determine the strongest facilitative extract from Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum. The sequence of facilitative activity for the different extracts was: n-butanol > diethyl ether > chloroform > ethyl acetate (EtAc). The inhibitory effects of n-butanol extraction on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a harmful bacterium, were investigated. Results indicated that the concentration (200-1200 μg·mL-1) of n-butanol extraction notably affected the growth of this fungus. Furthermore, the value of tp increased as the concentration of n-butanol used in the extraction increased. However, k and Pmax decreased as the concentrations of the drugs increased. The results show that microcalorimetry is sensitive, accurate, rapid and convenient. This method can also be applied in real time and online to monitor the process of bacterial growth and can be used to screen the bioactive extracts of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum. This method is also useful in providing some suggestions for the study of pharmacodynamic action.

Key words: Microcalorimetry, Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Staphylococcus aureus, Intestinal diagnostic flora, Bioactive part