title: Comparison of the effects of hange-shashin-to and rikkunshi-to on human plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P levels.
abstract: Regarding the gastroprotective function as a neural emergency system, sensory afferent neurons in the gastrointestinal mucosa regulate neuropeptide (calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P, etc.) levels, and those peptides play various physiological roles. To determine whether the pharmacological effects of Hange-shashin-to and Rikkunshi-to on the gastrointestine are due to changes in gastrointestinal mucosa regulatory peptides levels, we investigated the levels of CGRP-like immunoreactive substances (IS) and substance P-IS in plasma from healthy subjects. A single oral administration of Hange-shashin-to caused significant increases in CGRP-IS (40-60 min) and substance P-IS (60-180 min) levels in the plasma compared with the levels induced by a placebo. Rikkunshi-to and a 5.0 g Pinelliae tuber extract had no significant effect on CGRP-IS and substance P-IS levels. Extract of a 2.5 g Zingiberis rhizoma significantly caused increases in CGRP-IS at 40 min and in substance P-IS at 60 min. These results, in comparison with Kampo medicines, might indicate that the pharmacological actions of Hange-shashin-to closely are related to changes in CGRP-IS and substance P-IS levels, while Zingiberis rhizoma partially might participate in those effects of Hange-shashin-to.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Oita Medical University.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013373:Substance P / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; C088236:hange-shashinto; C084136:liu-jun-zi-tang; D013373:Substance P; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide