Low dosage of water extract fluid of hong hua could significantly increase the blood flow volume in the cononary vessels, slilghtly lower the blood pressure of anaesthetized dogs. It could also slightly increase the myocardial oxygen consumption and heart rate but the effect was not significant. Alcohol extract could lower the blood pressure and decrease the heart rate of anaesthetized dogs. Perfusion of water decoction alcohol precipitation of hong hua to isolated hearts of rats could increase the blood flow volume in the coronary vessels by 23%. Alcohol extract could significantly prolong the lethal time under anoxic conditions.

Water decoction alcohol extract of hong could could lower the whole blood viscosity. hong hua fluid had strong anti-coagulative effect. Water extract could inhibit the platelet aggregation induced by ADP and collagen in vitro.

hong hua decoction or fluid extracturm had excitatory effect on in vivo or isolated uterus of various animals. hong decoction had excitatory effect on the smooth muscle of intestinal canals to various degree, but the effect was not persistent. Perfusion of hong hua decoction to the smooth muscle of bronchia of guinea pigs could induce the contraction of the muscle.

hong hua had certain excitatory effect on the respiratory center of rats under cerebral ischemic and anoxic states. Saffloryellow had hypnotic and analgesic effects.

Inhibitory effect of alkane-6,8-diols, the components of safflower, on tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in two-stage carcinogenesis in mouse skin.

Erythro-alkane-6,8-diols were isolated from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius. 12-0-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 1 microgram/ear), a tumor-promoting agent, was applied to the ears of mice to induce inflammation. Of 8 alkane-6,8-diols assayed, the C27, C31, C32, C33 and C35 alkane diols inhibited the inflammation. The 50% inhibitory dose of these compounds for TPA-induced inflammation was 0.5-0.7 mg/ear. However, C21, C23 and C25 alkane-6,8-diols were found to have no effect. Furthermore, the mixture of erythro-alkane-6,8-diols from the flowers of C. tinctorius markedly suppressed the promoting effect of TPA on skin tumor formation in mice following initiation with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.

--Yasukawa K, Akihisa T, Kasahara Y, Kaminaga T, Kanno H, Kumaki K, Tamura T, Takido M. Oncology. 1996 Mar-Apr;53(2):133-6.

Saffloryellow could improve the microcirculatory disturbance induced by macromolecule dextran. hong hua decoction may had estrogen-like and androgen-likef effects. Oral administration of hong hua oil at the dosage of 1g/kg could lower total cholesterol and triglyceride. hong hua extracturm had inhibitory effect on campylobacter pybridis. Water decoction alcohol precipitation could prevent hepatocirrhosis.

Hong Hua Yu Xing Cao Injection (each ml containing 1g hong hua and 6g yu xing cao) for aerosol inhalation, 15 minutes, 3~4 times, 2 weeks as a course of treatment. No haemostatic was applied except pituitrin. 25 cases were treated, and 22 were cured, 3 ineffective.

Hong Lian Gao which was made from hong hua, huang lian, huang bo, da huang, zhi zi, bing pain and Vaseline was applied externally to the affected area of boils, once daily. 360 caseswere treated, and after 1~4 days' treatment, 221 were cured and 139 effective.

Hong Hua Injection for intravenous or intramuscular injection, once daily. 100 cases of angina pectoris due to coronary heart disease were treated, and the effective rates of angina and EKG were 80.8% and 66% respectively.

Tiao Lu Ping (experimential formula): hong hua, ku shen and gan cao were made into extracturm tablet in the proportion of 1:2:0.6, 0.5g each tablet, tid, 4 weeks as a course of treatment. 45 cases of premature beat were treated and the effective rate was 73%.

hong hua 60g, da zao 10 pieces, honey 60g. 1 dose daily, 20 consecutive days as a course of treatment. 50 cases of ulcer were treated and the curative rate was 78%.

Hong Hua Injection 2~4ml, intravenous injection, bid~tid, 10 days as a course of treatment. The Effective rate was around 70%, and the therapeutic effect of the early stage was more significant.

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998