Effect of gingerol on substance P and NK1 receptor expression in a vomiting model of mink.
BACKGROUND
Gingerol is the generic term for pungent constituents in ginger, which has been reported to be effective for inhibiting vomiting. We attempted to investigate the antiemetic effect of gingerol and its effective mechanism on substance P and NK(1) receptors in minks.


METHODS
The antiemetic effect of gingerol was investigated during a 6-hour observation on a vomiting model in minks induced by cisplatin, (7.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). The distribution of substance P and NK(1) receptors in the area postrema and ileum were measured by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of NK(1) receptor in the area postrema and ileum were measured by Western blotting.


RESULTS
The frequency of cisplatin induced retching and vomiting was significantly reduced by pretreatment with gingerol in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Substance P-immunoreactive was mainly situated in the mucosa and submucosa of the ileum as well as in the neurons of the area postrema. The immunoreactive production of NK(1) receptor was mainly situated in the muscular and submucosa of ileum and the neurons of area postrema, gingerol markedly suppressed the increased immunoreactivity of substance P and NK(1)1 receptor induced by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and exhibited effective inhibition on the increased expression levels of NK(1) receptor in both the ileum and area postrema dose-dependently (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Gingerol has good activity against cisplatin-induced emesis in minks possibly by inhibiting central or peripheral increase of substance P and NK(1) receptors.
Qian
Qiu-hai
QH
Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250011, China.
Yue
Wang
W
Chen
Wen-hui
WH
Yang
Zhi-hong
ZH
Liu
Zhan-tao
ZT
Wang
Yao-xia
YX
D000818:Animals; D031608:Area Postrema / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002396:Catechols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007082:Ileum / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008907:Mink; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
D002396:Catechols; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D013373:Substance P; C007845:gingerol