3.1. The Analysis of the Main Active Components of QSYQ
The main active components of QSYQ are all related to the effect of tonifying Qi or promoting blood stasis.
Tanshinone IIA, cryptotanshinone, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, tanshinol, and protocatechuic aldehyde are from Salvia miltiorrhiza which is a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) which can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis with 1000 years of clinical application [27]. It has been demonstrated that Salvia miltiorrhiza can reduce the area of cerebral infarct of ischemia-reperfusion injury rats which results from blood stasis [28]. The chemical components of Salvia miltiorrhiza are divided into water-soluble and liposoluble components. Among the liposoluble components, tanshinone IIA [29] has been reported to improve blood stasis syndrome of patients with coronary heart diseases by inhibiting the circulating inflammatory markers (including IL-6, TNF α, VCAM-1, CD40, sCD40L, MCP-1, and MMP9). Cryptotanshinone [30] has good pharmacological effects on atherosclerosis, while atherosclerosis is one of the diseases resulting from blood stasis. Salvianolic acids, as the main effective components of water-soluble components including salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, tanshinol, and protocatechuic aldehyde, can inhibit thrombosis, thromboxane B2 formation, and platelet aggregation [31]. This indicated that the main active components from Salvia miltiorrhiza are all associated with blood stasis.
Dencichine, ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rg1, and notoginsenoside R1 are from Panax notoginseng, which is a highly-valued herb and is able to modulate vascular tone such as the activation of blood circulation, removal of blood stasis, and inhibition of platelet aggregation [32]. The main active components of Panax notoginseng include two types of bioactive molecules: one has been reported to have good hemostatic and antithrombotic effects, such as dencichine [33]. In addition, saponins, as the main blood-activating components, which include ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rg1, and notoginsenoside R1, have showed significant effectiveness on treating cardiovascular diseases [34, 35].
Butein, formononetin, isoliquiritigenin, and nerolidol are from Dalbergia odorifera. Dalbergia odorifera, as blood-activating and stasis-removing TCM, is widely used for promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, and removing blood stasis, which has the effects on antithrombosis, antiplatelet aggregation, antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammation [36]. Volatile oil and flavonoid compounds are two main chemical components of Dalbergia odorifera. According to Guo et al. [37], the ethyl acetate part of Dalbergia odorifera can significantly shorten the bleeding time and clotting time of mice, and it indicated that volatile oil is the material basis of blood-activation in Dalbergia odorifera, while Nerolidol, as a main active component, accounts for 45.23~69.13% of the volatile oil. Butein, formononetin, and isoliquiritigenin, as flavonoid components, show antioxidant activity, antiplatelet aggregation, anti-inflammatory properties, and the capacity for treating cardiovascular diseases [38–40].
Calycosin, astragaloside Ι, formononetin, and astragaloside IV are from Astragalus membranaceus which is a popular Qi-tonifying herb with multiple biological functions, such as antioxidative, antihypertensive, antiaging, and immunomodulatory activities [41]. The main bioactive components including isoflavonoids and triterpene saponins are associated with effects on human health [42]. Isoflavonoids, which are considered “marker components” for the quality control of Astragalus membranaceus including calycosin and formononetin, show strong antioxidant activity, immunoregulation, anti-inflammatory properties, and the capacity for treating cardiovascular diseases [43]. Astragaloside, including astragaloside Ι and astragaloside IV, is the main effective component of astragalus polysaccharides and exerts significant effects on myocardial protection and immunity enhancement [44, 45].