title: Effects of Dai-kenchu-to, a herbal medicine, on uterine and intestinal motility.
abstract: The effects of both Dai-kenchu-to and PGF(2alpha) on intestinal and uterine motility were studied in anaesthetized rabbits with force transducers implanted in the jejunum, ileum and uterus. A single intraduodenal administration of Dai-kenchu-to (300 mg/kg) enhanced the intestinal motility but not the uterine motility. However, intravenous administration of PGF(2alpha) (20 microg/kg) enhanced both intestinal and uterine motility. The effects of Dai-kenchu-to on the spontaneous contraction and contractile response of the isolated rat uterine strips to oxytocin, PGF(2alpha) or ACh were also studied. Oral administration of Dai-kenchu-to at 300 mg/kg for one week had no effect on either the spontaneous contraction or the contractile response of the uterus. These results indicate that Dai-kenchu-to may exert stimulatory effects on intestinal motility, as PGF(2alpha), but has no effect on the uterine motility, suggesting a selective effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, Dai-kenchu-to may be safer than PGF(2alpha) in the treatment of postoperative adhesive ileus in women. However, more studies are needed to determine whether Dai-kenchu-to could be administered to pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Kampo and Pharmacognosy Laboratory, R and D Division, Tsumura Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan. murata_pin@mail.tsumura.co.jp
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kase
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishige
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005894:Panax; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D032106:Zanthoxylum; D030521:Zingiberaceae
chemical_list: D010120:Oxytocics; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010936:Plant Extracts; C121414:dai-kenchu-to; D015237:Dinoprost