The present study was carried out to evaluate an equivalence of pharmacological properties between natural crude drugs and their cultured cells. The effects of ether extract of Lithospermi Radix and cultured cells of Lithospermum erythrorhizon SIEB. et ZUCC. and aqueous extract of Coptidis Rizoma and cultured cells of Coptis japonica MAKINO var. dissecta NAKAI on proliferation of granulation tissue in rats were compared. The ether extracts of Lithospermi Radix and the cultured cells enhanced proliferation of granulation tissue by the cotton pellet method. The potency of both extract was about the same, if results were compared with the corresponding doses which contained the same quantity of shikonin derivatives. On the other hand, the aqueous extracts of Coptidis Rhizoma and the cultured cells inhibited it. The potency of both extract was about the same, if results were compared with the corresponding doses which contained the same quantity of berberine-type alkaloids. From these results, to evaluate an equivalence of pharmacological properties between natural crude drugs and their cultured cells, it is concluded that their qualities and quantities are not so different each other and the almost same pharmacological effect expected on the basis of their uses is required.
