中文摘要：

芍药甘草汤由东汉张仲景创立,仅有芍药和甘草两味药物组成,具有调和肝脾,缓急止痛的功效,是经典的止痛方剂,临床主要用于血虚津伤所导致的各种内脏疼痛,腓肠肌痉挛的治疗中。已经展开的基础研究主要集中解痉、止痛和抗炎方面的机理研究。近年逐步认识到芍药甘草汤及其活性成分在神经保护领域的作用,在脑卒中、帕金森病、阿尔海默氏症、癫痫等中枢神经系统疾病基础研究中,取得成果。文章研读近年来国内外相关文献,分别从芍药、甘草的活性成份以及芍药甘草汤方剂在脑保护领域进行的基础研究的进展做一综述,显示了芍药甘草汤及其活性成分可以抑制脑组织免疫炎症反应、抑制氧化反应、抗谷氨酸毒性,改善脑血流、抗细胞凋亡和保护神经元的作用,阐述了芍药甘草汤的多途径、多靶点的药理优势及在脑保护领域的应用前景。

英文摘要：

Peony and licorice decoction was founded by Zhongjing Zhang in the Eastern Han Dynasty, it is composed of only two kinds of medicine： peony and licorice, and plays a role in harmonizing liver and spleen and relieving pain as a classic analgesic prescription, hence it is mainly used to treat a variety of visceral pain caused by blood deficiency and body fluid loss and gastrocnemius muscle spasm in clinical. Fundamental research has been carried out to mainly focus on its mechanism in antispasmodic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory aspects. In recent years, it is gradually realized that peony and licorice decoction and its active components play a role in the neural protection, such as stroke, Parkinson＇s disease, Alzheimer＇s disease, epilepsy. This paper reviewed the recent literatures at home and abroad, and summarized the progress of basic research in the field of brain protection by active ingredients of peony, licorice,and peony and licorice decoction prescription, respectively. Studies show that the peony and licorice decoction and its active ingredients can inhibit brain inflammation and oxidation, resist glutamate toxicity, improve cerebral blood flow, resist apoptosis, and protect neurons.Pharmacological studies show that peony and licorice decoction protects neuron by multiple mechanism, and advantages for peony and licorice decoction in brain protection.