Studies on the Preparation of Processed Aconiti Tubers

무독부자(無毒附子)의 제조에 관한 연구

In order to establish the standard method for the preparation of processed Aconiti Tuber, Aconiti Tubers were processed under various conditions and the amount and the composition of alkaloids were determined by HPLC. The ratio of sum of benzoylhypaconine and benzoylmesaconine over the sum of acinitine, mesaconitine, benzoylmesaconine and benzoylhypaconine was used as a detoxification index ((BM+BH)${\times}$100/MA+AC+BM+BH). The adequate value of index was obtained from Japanese 'ka-gong bu-ja' which has been used in Japan. The processing procedure was largely devided into two categories. First is heat treating at $120^{\circ}$ and 1. 2 lbs for 60 min. Second is treatment with various kinds of alkaline solutions followed by heat treatment at $120^{\circ}$ and 1. 2 lbs for 60 min. Among the source of processed Aconiti Tubers, dried bu-ja and yom bu-ja, dried bu-ja was more adequate than yom bu-ja because yom bu-ja has the lower value of index than dried bu-ja and lost active components through the desalting periods. Dried bu-ja whish was treated with alkaline solutions followed by heat treatment has the detoxification index, 50% and dried bu-ja which was treated only with hear has 71. 8%. Compared to the value of index of Japanese 'ka-gong bu-ja', 72%, the dried bu-ja treated with heat at $120^{\circ}$ and 1, 2 lbs for 60min was the most adequate. The $LD_{50}$ value of the processed bu-ja was higher than 15 g crude drugs/kg, p.o. in mice.