title: Herbal medicine, Hachimi-jio-gan, and its component cinnamomi cortex activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha in renal cells.
abstract: Hachimi-jio-gan is widely used to improve several disorders associated with diabetes, but its mechanism remains poorly understood. In an attempt to clarify the mechanism of Hachimi-jio-gan, we investigated the effects of this herbal medicine and its components in transfection studies of CV1 cells, especially nuclear receptor-mediated actions. One half (0.5) mg/ml of Hachimi-jio-gan activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARalpha), mediating the activation by 3.1-fold on DR1 response elements; however, it did not affect PPARgamma, thyroid hormone receptor, androgen receptor, estrogen receptor or RXR. In addition, this activation was observed in a dose-dependent manner. Next, to determine which components of Hachimi-jio-gan activate PPARalpha-mediated transcription, 8 of its components (rehmanniae radix, orni fructus, dioscoreae rhizoma, alismatis rhizoma, hoelen, moutan cortex, cinnamomi cortex, aconiti) were tested. Only cinnamomi cortex (1.0 mg/ml) increased PPARalpha-mediated transcription by 4.1-fold, and this activation was specific for PPAR alpha, and not for other nuclear receptors. Moreover, this PPARalpha-related activation by cinnamomi cortex is specifically observed in renal cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that Hachimi-jio-gan and cinnamomi cortex may have a pharmacological effect through the target site for PPARalpha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monden
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosoya
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Mikiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.forename: Teturou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Koshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Kikuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Masatomo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002935:Cinnamomum zeylanicum; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000819:agonists* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008024:Ligands; D047493:PPAR alpha; D010936:Plant Extracts; C532132:cinnamomi cortex; C054591:hachimijiogan