XiangshaLiujunzi decoction alleviates the symptoms of functional dyspepsia by regulating brain–gut axis and production of neuropeptides

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Research Article

Xu-Dong Tang¹  Jing Liu²  Yong Wang²  Gen-Mao Li²  Jie Ma²  Feng Li²  Xin Ma²  Dong-Yu Ge² 

[1] Digestive Department, Xiyuan Hospital, Affiliated with Chinese Academy of TCM, Beijing, China;School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China;

关键词: Xiangshaliujunzi decoction;    Functional dyspepsia;    Brain–gut axis;    Brain-gut peptide;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12906-015-0913-z

 received in 2015-01-19, accepted in 2015-10-13,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundChinese medicine xiangshaliujunzi decoction (XSLJZD) plays a key role in treating functional dyspepsia (FD), a common clinical gastrointestinal disorder. However, the mechanism of this disease is unclear. Brain–gut axis regulates food intake behaviour, and this regulatory mechanism is mediated by neuropeptides. Brain–gut axis impairment and neuropeptide alteration may be the pathological mechanisms of FD, and brain–gut axis regulation may influence the action of medicine.MethodsIn our experiment, the effect of XSLJZD on FD was evaluated in terms of food intake, sucrose preference test and electromyogram. Changes in neuropeptides [ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)] were detected through immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and ELISA.ResultsXSLJZD increased food intake and the percentage of sucrose preference (>75 %). However, the response to gastric detention decreased. Furthermore, XSLJZD increased ghrelin, CCK, VIP proteins and genes in the stomach. XSLJZD also increased ghrelin, CCK and VIP proteins in serum. By contrast, XSLJZD decreased the mRNA expression of these neuropeptides in the hypothalamus.ConclusionsXSLJZD alleviated the symptoms of FD by upregulating the production of ghrelin, CCK and VIP and by increasing the levels of these neuropeptides in circulation. This finding can help elucidate the mechanism of FD and can provide further insight into the pharmacokinetics of XSLJZD.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Liu et al. 2015