title: The synergistic purgative action of aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone in mice: synergism in large intestinal propulsion and water secretion.
abstract: This study aimed to explore the mechanism involved in the synergistic purgative action of aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone, the active metabolites of sennoside C. Aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone, and their equimolar mixture, induced excretion of an approximately equal number of faeces by intracaecal administration at a dose of 23.2 mumol kg-1 in mice (= 1.0 standard dose). The number of wet faeces induced by aloe-emodin anthrone was less than those of rhein anthrone and the mixture. At the same dose, rhein anthrone and the mixture significantly stimulated large intestinal propulsion, though aloe-emodin anthrone had little stimulatory effect. Aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone decreased net water absorption but could not reverse it to the net secretion at 1/2 dose. The mixture significantly decreased net water absorption and reversed it to the net secretion at this dose. These anthrones did not stimulate mucus secretion in the colon at 1/2 dose. We concluded that the synergistic purgative effect of aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone in mice results from synergistic stimulation of large intestinal transit and large intestinal water secretion.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mukogawa Women's University, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D002400:Cathartics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004642:Emodin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D012676:Senna Extract
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D002400:Cathartics; D012676:Senna Extract; C518327:aloe emodin; D004642:Emodin; C029839:sennoside C; C020491:rhein