title: Laxative effects of Salecan on normal and two models of experimental constipated mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints with a highly prevalent and often chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting health-related quality of life. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Salecan on fecal output and small intestinal transit in normal and two models of drug-induced constipation mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  ICR mice were administrated intragastrically (i.g.) by gavage with 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight (BW) of Salecan while the control mice were received saline. The constipated mice were induced by two types of drugs, loperamide (5 mg/kg BW, i.g.) and clonidine (200 μg/kg BW, i.g.), after Salecan treatment while the control mice were received saline. Number, weight and water content of feces were subsequently measured. Small intestinal transit was monitored by phenol red marker meal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Salecan (300 mg/kg BW) significantly increased the number and weight of feces in normal mice. In two models of drug-induced constipation, Salecan dose-dependently restored the fecal number and fecal weight. The water content of feces was markedly affected by loperamide, but not by clonidine. Treatment with Salecan significantly raised the fecal water content in loperamide-induced constipation mice. Moreover, Salecan markedly stimulated the small intestinal transit in both loperamide- and clonidine-induced constipation model mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that Salecan has a potential to be used as a hydrophilic laxative for constipation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing 210094, China.
authors.forename: Mengyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Aihui
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yibei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jianfa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects; D003248:Constipation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003672:Defecation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D054368:Laxatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008139:Loperamide / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D054368:Laxatives; D047071:beta-Glucans; C577623:salecan; D008139:Loperamide; D003000:Clonidine