Pharmacological Studies of Reiousan, a Drug Containing Bezoar and Ginseng : Effects on the Blood Rheology

Effects of Reiousan, a crude drug preparation consisting of bezoar and ginseng, on blood rheology were studied. Reiousan improved the deformability of rat erythrocytes exposed to hyperosmorality and treated with phenylhydrazine. The ATP depletion in erythrocytes, the polybrene-induced erythrocyte aggregation and the oxidation of low density lipoprotein were suppressed by Reiousan. Oral administration of Reiousan also improved the erythrocyte deformability in phenylhydrazine-treated rats and delayed the thromboembolic death induced by arachidonic acid in mice. These results suggest that Reiousan has an ameliorative effect on blood rheology related to "Oketsu" syndrome in Kampo diagnostics.