This study was carried out to investigate the inhibitory effect of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (ADR) extract on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) induced by cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. COPD was induced by intratracheal instillation of LPS and CSC 5 times for 12 days; this increased airway hyperresoponsiveness (AHR) and inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). ADR extract was administered orally at a dose of 50 and 200 mg/kg. The concentration of imperatorin, a major component of ADR and therefore used as a measure of quality control, was 0.098%±0.018%. Treatment of the mice with ADR extract (50 and 200 mg/kg) alleviated AHR and reduced inflammatory cell counts. Treatment with cyclosporin A (CSA; 10 mg/kg) also modulated AHR and reduced inflammatory cells effectively. Compared with CSA treatment, treatment with ADR (50 mg/kg) extract reduced neutrophil and CD4+/CD3+ cell counts by 22.67% and 44.92%, respectively. In addition, compared with CSA treatment, treatment ADR 200 mg/kg reduced neutrophils, CD4+/CD3+ cells and CD8+/CD3+ cells, by 32.10%, 83.17% and 82.11%, respectively. These results indicate that ADR extract may have an inhibitory effect on COPD induced by LPS and CSC in mice.

The medicinal constituents contained in Korean and Chinese Angelicae dahuricae Radix were compared by confirming their qualities. From the extracts of Angelicae dahuricae Radix, oxypeucedanin, imperatorin, and alloisoimperatorin etc. furanocoumarin derivatives were identified by GC/MS analysis. Through GC/FID analysis, the furanocoumarin derivatives content of Baizi cultivated in Korea was more than that cultivated in China, except for one cultivated at Ankuk province, and so confirmed to possess, on the whole, good quality medicinal constituents by content, as compared with the ones cultivated in China.