OBJECTIVETo investigate the common rule hepatic energy metabolism on rats by six cold property of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM).

METHODThe activities of Na+ - K+ - ATPase, Ca2+ - ATPase and SDH, the content of hepatic glycogen, and the mRNA expression of hepatic uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) were measured after the rats and been administrated with water extracts of Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, Fructus Gardeniae, Cortex Phellodendri, Radix Scutellariae, Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix Gentianae respectively at 6.0, 7.0, 8.4, 6.0, 7.0, 4.0 g x kg(-1) doses for 30 days, twice a day.

RESULTThe activities of Na+ - K+ - ATPase, Ca2+ - ATPase and SDH were depressed significantly by six cold property TCM. The decreased tendency of SDH was observed by six cold property of TCM, while statistical significance was obtained in Cortex Phellodendri, Radix Scutellariae, Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix Gentianae. The increased tendency of hepatic glycogen content was found by six cold property TCM, while statistical significance was not obtained in six groups. The decreased tendency of the mRNA expression of UCP2 was found by six cold property TCM, while statistical significance was obtained in Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, Cortex Phellodendri, and Radix Scutellariae groups.

CONCLUSIONThe six cold property TCM have the good effects on hepatic energy metabolism by decreasing the activity of mitochondria SDH to reduce the production of ATP by decreasing the activities of Na+ - K+ - ATPase, Ca2+ - ATPase to cut down the consumption of ATP, by decreasing the mRNA expression of hepatic UCP2 to decrease the heat production.