Dai-Kenchu-To, a Herbal Medicine, Attenuates Colorectal Distention-induced Visceromotor Responses in Rats.
- Author:
Kumi NAKAYA
1
;
Yohko NAGURA
;
Ryoko HASEGAWA
;
Hitomi ITO
;
Shin FUKUDO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Anxiety; Colorectal distention; Dai-kenchu-to; Visceral pain
- MeSH: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animals; Anxiety; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Compliance; Corticosterone; Electromyography; Gastrointestinal Motility; Herbal Medicine*; Humans; Muscle, Smooth; Plasma; Rats*; Visceral Pain
- From:Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2016;22(4):686-693
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, is known to increase gastrointestinal motility and improve ileal function. We tested our hypotheses that (1) pretreatment with DKT would block the colorectal distention-induced visceromotor response in rats, and (2) pretreatment with DKT would attenuate colorectal distention-induced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release and anxiety-related behavior. METHODS: Rats were pretreated with vehicle or DKT (300 mg/kg/5 mL, per os). Visceromotor responses were analyzed using electromyography in response to colorectal distention (10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mmHg for 20 seconds at 3-minutes intervals). Anxiety-related behavior was measured during exposure to an elevated-plus maze after colorectal distention. Plasma ACTH and serum corticosterone levels were measured after exposure to the elevated-plus maze. RESULTS: Colorectal distention produced robust contractions of the abdominal musculature, graded according to stimulus intensity, in vehicle-treated rats. At 40, 60, and 80 mmHg of colorectal distention, the visceromotor responses of DKT-treated rats was significantly lower than that of vehicle-treated rats. At 80 mmHg, the amplitude was suppressed to approximately one-third in DKT-treated rats, compared with that in vehicle-treated rats. Smooth muscle compliance and the velocity of accommodation to 60 mmHg of stretching did not significantly differ between the vehicle-treated and DKT-treated rats. Similarly, the DKT did not influence colorectal distention-induced ACTH release, corticosterone levels, or anxiety-related behavior in rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that DKT attenuates the colorectal distention-induced visceromotor responses, without increasing smooth muscle compliance, ACTH release or anxiety-related behavior in rats.
