2.4. Preparation of Cynomorium songaricum Extract

Cynomorium songaricum Rupr was procured from the Anguo Chinese herbs market in Hebei province, People's Republic of China, authenticated as the fleshy stems by Professor Chun-Sheng Liu in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and the specimen was placed in university herbarium with voucher number CSE 601003042. For the preparation of CSE extract, the dried stems were crushed into small pieces and extracted using 20 kg powder with 8 volumes of 70% ethanol three times (each time for 1.5 h), followed by extraction with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate. CSE was dried at 60°C and stored at room temperature.