Effect of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus on Intestinal Motility and SCF/c-Kit Pathway in Mice with Slow-Transit Constipation
10.13359/j.cnki.gzxbtcm.2025.08.029
- VernacularTitle:枳实对慢传输型便秘小鼠肠道动力及SCF/c-Kit通路的影响
- Author:
Yanhong DU
1
;
Aizhen LIN
;
Xiaohan LIU
;
Shiwen YIN
Author Information
1. 湖北省中医院,湖北 武汉 430000;湖北中医药大学,湖北 武汉 430000
- Keywords:
Aurantii Fructus Immaturus;
slow-transit constipation;
intestinal motility;
SCF/c-Kit pathway;
Masitinib;
mice
- From:
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;42(8):2028-2034
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus(AFI)on slow-transit constipation(STC)in mice.Methods A STC model was established via intragastric administration of Loperamide Hydrochloride.Successfully modeled mice were randomized into a model group,low-and high-dose AFI groups,a high-dose AFI+Masitinib[tyrosine kinase(c-Kit)inhibitor]group,additionally,a normal group was set up.After intervention,intestinal transit rate,6-hour fecal pellet number,fecal water content,and colonic histomorphology(hematoxylin-eosin staining)were assessed.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),vasoactive intestinal polypeptide(VIP),substance P(SP),nitric oxide(NO),and nitric oxide synthase(NOS)activity in colon tissue.Quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)was used to evaluate mRNA expression of stem cell factor(SCF)and c-Kit in colon tissue,Western Blot was used to analyze relative protein expression of aquaporin 3(AQP3),aquaporin 8(AQP8),SCF,and c-Kit in colon tissue.Results Compared with the normal group,there was devere colonic damage observed in the colon tissue of the mice in the model group,the fecal pellet number,fecal water content,intestinal transit rate,colon tissue SP content,c-Kit and SCF gene and protein expression levels were reduced.The contents of 5-HT,VIP and NO,NOS activity and the protein expression levels of AQP3 and AQP8 in colon tissue were increased,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the colonic injury of mice in the low-and high-does AFI groups showed obvious improvement,the fecal pellet number,fecal water content,intestinal transit rate,colon tissue SP content,c-Kit and SCF gene and protein expression levels were increased,the contents of 5-HT,VIP and NO,NOS activity and the protein expression levels of AQP3 and AQP8 in colon tissue were decreased(P＜0.05).Masitinib partially reversed the laxative effects of AFI(P＜0.05).Conclusion AFI enhances intestinal motility,alleviates colonic injury,and improves defecation in STC mice,potentially via activation of the SCF/c-Kit pathway.
