[Experimental methodology on pharmacological studies on crude drugs]

Properties of crude drugs are different from those of a pure synthetic compound which is prepared as a candidate for a newly developed drug in that; crude drugs are composed of innumerable ingredients and have at least some therapeutic efficacies. Accordingly, a pharmacological study of crude drugs resembles studying of a sample such as a complex combined preparation and a lot of problems upon pharmacological examination arises from properties inherent in crude drugs. In this review, these problems are discussed, being based on pharmacological studies which have been performed in several crude drugs.