title: The effects of Weichangshu tablet on intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration in cultured rat gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The objective of this study was to explore the effects of Weichangshu tablets on free Ca²⁺ concentration of the gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells of rats and the molecular mechanism of the Weichangshu tablets. Cultured SD rat gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells were divided into control group, Cisapride group, Weichangshu group, and control + ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) group, Cisapride + EGTA group, and Weichangshu + EGTA group. Laser scanning microscope and spectrophotometer detection were applied to detect the calcium concentration. The calcium concentrations in Weichangshu group and Cisapride group significantly increased vs. control, and those in Weichangshu group were higher than those in Cisapride group. Ca²⁺ concentration in Weichangshu + EGTA group, Cisapride + EGTA group vs. control + EGTA group were not significantly different. Weichangshu could increase gastrointestinal smooth muscle free Ca²⁺ concentration, and this role may be achieved through the promotion of cells within the flow of calcium ions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical University, 346 Guanhai Road, Laishan 264003, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Luping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Guoying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020117:Cisapride / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C561552:weichangshu; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D002118:Calcium; D020117:Cisapride