Chan Yin Ling. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-167). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.III / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.X / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.XI / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.XV / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.XVII / LIST OF TABLES --- p.XXI / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction to Cardiovascular Disease and Atherosclerosis --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Cardiovascular Disease --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- A therosclerosis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- Structure of Arteries --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Pathophysiology of Atherosclerosis --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.3 --- Endothelial Dysfunction --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Current Western Therapies --- p.11 / Chapter 1.1.3.1 --- Surgery --- p.11 / Chapter 1.1.3.2 --- Western Medications --- p.13 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Traditional Chinese Medicine --- p.17 / Chapter 1.1.4.1 --- Long History --- p.17 / Chapter 1.1.4.2 --- As Alternative Medicine --- p.18 / Chapter 1.1.4.3 --- Modernization of Chinese Medicine --- p.19 / Chapter 1.2 --- Introduction and Selection of Chinese Medicine --- p.20 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Selection ofTCM Formulation from Pharmacopoeia --- p.20 / Chapter 1.2.1.1 --- Compound Formulation --- p.20 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Introduction to the Herbal Medicines --- p.21 / Chapter 1.2.2.1 --- Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) --- p.21 / Chapter 1.2.2.2 --- Gegen (Puerariae thomsonii and Puerariae lobata) --- p.22 / Chapter 1.2.2.3 --- Yanhu (Corydalis yanhusuo) and its Exclusion --- p.24 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Source and Authentication of the Herbal Medicines --- p.25 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- OPTIMIZATION OF DANSHEN-GEGEN FORMULA --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1 --- Project History --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2 --- aims for the present study --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3 --- Methods and Materials --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Extracts --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Extraction Process --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- In vitro Antioxidation Model --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Ex vivo Vasodilation Model --- p.35 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Vasodilation Results --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Antioxidation Results --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion --- p.46 / Chapter 2.6 --- Further Modification of the Formula --- p.49 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Extracts --- p.49 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Results --- p.49 / Chapter 2.7 --- discussion --- p.52 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- MARKER CHEMICAL CONTENTS OF HERBAL EXTRACTS AND THEIR PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES --- p.56 / Chapter 3.1 --- HPLC Analysis of Marker Contents --- p.56 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Methods --- p.57 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Results --- p.58 / Chapter 3.1.2.1 --- HPLC Chromatograms --- p.59 / Chapter 3.1.2.2 --- Content Percentage of Marker Compounds --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Discussion --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2 --- Studies on Marker Compounds --- p.65 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.65 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Methods and Materials --- p.67 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Source of Pure Compounds --- p.67 / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Purification and Identification of SAB --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2.2.3 --- Vasodilation model --- p.70 / Chapter 3.2.2.4 --- Antioxidation Model --- p.71 / Chapter 3.2.2.5 --- Structures of Pure Compounds --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Results --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Vasodilation Results --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Antioxidation Results --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3 --- Discussion --- p.79 / Chapter 3.4 --- Synergistic Effect Study --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Introduction --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Methods --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Results --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Discussion --- p.88 / Chapter 3.5 --- STUDY ON 3'-HYDROXYPlIERARIN AND 3'-METHOXYPUERARIN PURIFIED FROM YFGE --- p.90 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- 3 '-hydroxypuerarin and 3'-methoxypuerarin --- p.90 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Methods and Materials --- p.91 / Chapter 3.5.2.1 --- Purification by HPLC semi-preparation --- p.91 / Chapter 3.5.2.2 --- Bioassays --- p.93 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Results --- p.94 / Chapter 3.5.3.1 --- Vasodilation Study --- p.94 / Chapter 3.5.3.2 --- Antioxidative Effect of Yege --- p.95 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Discussion / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- MECHANISTIC STUDY --- p.98 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.98 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Nitric Oxide-mediated Vasodilation --- p.99 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Prostacyclin-mediated Vasodilation --- p.100 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- EDHF-mediated Vasodilation --- p.101 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Endothelium-dependent and -independent Vasodilations --- p.103 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methods and Materials --- p.104 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.107 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Danshen-Gegen Formula (DY80) --- p.107 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Salvianolic acid B --- p.112 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Daidzein --- p.117 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.121 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- STUDY ON LIPID PEROXIDATION AND UPTAKE BY MACROPHAGES --- p.128 / Chapter 5.1 --- Study of DY 80 and SAB on Copper-ion induced Low Density Lipoprotein Oxidation --- p.128 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Pathologic Role of oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein --- p.128 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Antioxidants in Low Density Lipoprotein and Role of Transition Metals --- p.129 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Methods and Materials --- p.130 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Results --- p.131 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Discussion --- p.133 / Chapter 5.2 --- Study of Scavenger Receptor Regulation in Macrophages --- p.135 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.135 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Methods and Materials --- p.136 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Results --- p.139 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Discussions --- p.140 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- General Discussion --- p.143 / REFERENCES --- p.147