[Inhibition of aldose reductase from rat lens by some Chinese herbs and their components].

Nearly 20 herbs or herbal components were screened for the inhibitory effect of rat lens aldose reductase(AR) with a fluorometric assay of AR activity. Among these Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Radix astragali, Gentiana scabra, silybin, puerarin and baicalin were found to exhibit markedly inhibitory effects on AR comparable to Sorbinil. The authors suggest that some of the Chinese herbs used in the control of diabetic complications may act through the pharmacologic action of inhibiting AR.