title: Effects of Dai-kenchu-to on levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) and vasoactive intestinal peptides in human plasma.
abstract: We examined the effects of Dai-kenchu-to (DKCT) on the levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin; 5-HT) in plasma taken from 6 healthy subjects. A single oral administration of 7.5 g DKCT caused significant increases in plasma VIP at 30, 60 to 90 and 120 min (3.5-5.5 pg/ml), compared with the response in a placebo group (about 1.0 pg/ml). DKCT also caused significant increases in plasma 5-HT at 30 (121.8+/-7.3 ng/ml) and 60 (156.5+/-8.0 ng/ml) min, compared with the response in the placebo group (about 101 ng/ml). These results indicate that the stimulatory effect of DKCT on VIP-immunoreactive substance (VIP-IS) secretion is due, at least in part, to increased 5-HT levels in the abdomen. As a consequence, increased VIP-IS may improve feelings of coldness in the abdomen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Oita Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D032106:Zanthoxylum; D030521:Zingiberaceae
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts; C121414:dai-kenchu-to; D012701:Serotonin; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide