*4.2. Plant Material and Extraction*

The DGS is composed of Danshen/Gegen/Hawthorn leaf = (1:1:1. Ratio). The medicinal material samples of Danshen, Gegen, and Hawthorn leaves were collected from Hongji Tang Herbal Drug Store (Qingdao, China) and identified as Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.), Puerariae Lobatae Radix (The root of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi), and Crataegi Folium (the leaf of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) by Dr. Liwen Han, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences. The sample preparation method was as follows: 1000 g of crushed Danshen was extracted twice with 10 L of 80% ethanol at reflux for 2 h each time, filtered, and then combined with the extract, and concentrated and dried under reduced pressure to obtain the Danshen extract. Then, 1000 g of Gegen was crushed and extracted thrice with 10 L of 70% ethanol for 2 h each time; the extracts were filtered, concentrated, and then dried under reduced pressure. The Hawthorn leaves were then crushed and extracted by refluxing twice with 70% ethanol, each time for 2 h; the obtained extract was filtered, combined, concentrated, and then dried under reduced pressure to obtain the Hawthorn leaf extract. Three extracts were blended to obtain the sample of DGS.
