With in vitro spin labeling electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, we have studied the effects of Bu Yang Huan Wu (BYHW) decoction and its effective constituents such as astragaloside IV ferulic acid, chuanxiongzine, rutin, chlorogenic acid, 9,10 dimethoxy pterocarpane 7 O β D glucoside, calycosin, formononetin, calycosin 7 O glucoside, paeoniflorin, paeonal and quercein on the cell membrane fluidity of a rat brain which was modeled after the dual cervical arteries were intercepted and released for realizing an ischemia reperfusion injury which was selected as a brain stroke model. Our results indicated that the cell membrane fluidity in the model group decreased approximately 8% compared with the control group, and after brain cells were incubatied with species, the membrane fluidity could be recovered closely to the control level depending on the BYHW decoction and its different constituents. As the membrane fluidity is a very sensitive biological index which reflectsd the cell status, our method will be useful to study the molecular mechanism of tradition Chinese medicine (TCM) and its combination recipe.
