Abstract: Objective  Based on the theory of constitution analysis,to compare and analyze the effects of different kinds of medicinal and edible herbs on the content of GABA in germinated brown rice,so as to provide theoretical basis for the development of medicinal diet of brown rice for children with different constitutions.Methods  The experiment included three groups:blank group (brown rice group),control group (germinated brown rice group) and TCM germinated brown rice group.The TCM germinated brown rice group was again divided into 9 subgroups:qi-tonifying group (Huang Qi rice,Shan Yao rice,Bai Bian Dou rice),yin-nourishing group (Yu Zhu rice,Huang Jing rice,Gou Qi rice,Sang Ye rice),blood-supplementing group (Sang Shen rice,Long Yan Rou rice),yang-assisting group (Du Zhong rice,Gan Jiang rice),qi-regulating group (Chen Pi rice,Gan Song rice),sputum-resolving group (Xing Ren rice,Zi Su Zi rice,Lai Fu Zi rice),blood-activating group (Tao Ren rice,Jiang Huang rice),dampness-eliminating group (Fu Ling rice,Yi Yi Ren rice),and heat-clearing group (Jue Ming Zi rice,Xia Ku Cao rice,He Ye rice,Dan Dou Chi rice).Among them,the qi-tonifying group,yang-assisting group,yin-nourishing group and blood-supplementing group involved germinated brown rice with Chinese herbs for invigoration,and dampness-eliminating group,sputum-resolving group,heat-clearing group,qi-regulating group and blood-activating group involved germinated brown rice with Chinese herbs for reducing excess.HPLC method was used to quantitatively analyze the contents of GABA in brown rice,germinated brown rice and germinated brown rice with different compound of Chinese herbs,a linear regression equation of the mass concentration of GABA and the absorbance value was established,and the GABA content in the samples was calculated and compared.Results  Compared with blank group,the content of GABA was significantly higher in all groups of germinated brown rice except for DU Zhong rice,Gan Song rice and Tao Ren rice (P<0.05).Compared with control group,the content of GABA significantly increased in the germinated brown rice of Huang Qi,Shan Yao,Bai Bian Dou,Yu Zhu,Huang Jing,Gou Qi,Sang Ye,Sang Shen,Long Yan Rou,Yi Yi Ren,Xing Ren,Zi Su Zi,Lai Fu Zi,Dan Dou Chi,Chen Pi and Jiang Huang (P<0.05).The content of GABA in germinated brown rice of Gan Jiang,Fu Ling,Jue Ming Zi,Xia Ku Cao and He Ye was higher than that in brown rice,but lower than the ordinary germinated brown rice,and the differences were of statistical significance (P<0.05).The comparison based on the functions of Chinese herbs showed that the GABA content was higher in germinated brown rice with Chinese herbs in qi-tonifying group,yin-nourishing group and blood-supplementing group than in yang-assisting group (P<0.05);the GABA content was higher in germinated brown rice with Chinese herbs in qi-regulating group and sputum-resolving group than in blood-activating group (P<0.05).The GABA content in Huang Qi,Huang Jing,Sang Shen,Long Yan Rou,Chen Pi,and Sang Ye was significantly higher than in other Chinese herbs,and also significantly higher than in the corresponding germinated brown rice with Chinese herbs (P<0.05);the GABA content was significantly higher in the germinated brown rice of Shan Yao,Bai Bian Dou,Yu Zhu,Fu Ling,Yi Yi Ren,Lai Fu Zi,Jue Ming Zi and Dan Dou Chi than in the corresponding Chinese herbs (P<0.05).Conclusion  The Chinese herbs of tonifying qi,nourishing yin,supplementing blood and regulating qi can be used to develop functional foods for regulating emotion,enhancing memory,improving sleep and regulating digestive function

Key words:

Germinated brown rice, Chinese herb, γ-Aminobutyric acid, High performance liquid chromatography, Content determination