title: A galenical of traditional Chinese herbal mixture (THC-002) reduces expression of tachykinin peptides within urethras of spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated expression of tachykinin peptides neurokinin A, neurokinin B, and substance P within urethras of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and determined if a traditional Chinese herbal mixture, THC-002, decreased them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten- and 40-week-old male SHRs were randomly separated into three groups (n = 12 each). Rats of one group were given orally 20 ml 0.9% NaCl solution per kg body weight daily for 1 week. One hour later, each received a similar volume of water. Rats in the second group were also given saline. One hour later, each received 20 mg THC-002 per kg body weight. The third group was untreated. The urethras were removed and separated into prostatic and non-prostatic regions and analyzed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (n = 6) and immunohistochemistry (n = 6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 40-week-old untreated SHRs, neurokinin B mRNA and protein, and substance P mRNA in prostatic urethras were significantly higher compared to the 10-week-old ones. Neurokinin A mRNA and protein, and substance P protein of the 40-week-old saline-loaded prostatic urethras were significantly higher compared to the 40-week-old untreated ones. In 40-week-old untreated SHRs, the non-prostatic urethral neurokinin B protein was significantly higher compared to the 10-week-old ones. In 40-week-old, saline-loaded SHRs, neurokinin A protein of the non-prostatic urethras was significantly higher compared to 40-week-old the untreated ones. In 40-week-old SHRs, THC-002 significantly decreased the expression of the urethral tachykinins, except for non-prostatic urethral neurokinin A mRNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aging and saline-loading increased the expression of urethral tachykinin mRNAs and peptides. THC-002 partially decreased them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. m07h005@shinshu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masakuni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ishizuka
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurizaki
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D015288:Neurokinin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D015287:Neurokinin B / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*; D014521:Urethra / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C544609:HARNCARE; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013373:Substance P; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D015288:Neurokinin A; D015287:Neurokinin B