title: Euphorbia kansui roots induced-diarrhea in mice correlates with inflammatory response.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Euphorbia kansui (E. KS) is a traditional medicine used in China for thousands of years with the effect of propulsion in the gastrointestines. However, there is no reported study of E. KS on gastrointestinal motility until now. The aim of this work is to study the effect of E. KS on the propulsion of gastrointestines, and to elucidate the possible mechanism of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  E.KS was prepared as a 30% ethanol extract and used for the experiment of small and large intestines of mice by oral administration with three different dosages (1.2, 0.6 and 0.3 g·kg(-1)). The feces were observed in vivo. The morphology was carried out to detect if there are any changes in the intestines after the extract of E. KS administration. The assays of mRNA and protein expression were employed to observe IL-1β, TNFα and caspase 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was shown that the extract of E.KS promoted diarrhea in mouse feces after administration, inhibited the contraction of smooth muscle of mouse small intestine and caused the inflammatory exudation on the mucosa of the intestines, enhanced the expression of both mRNA and the protein levels of IL-1β and TNFα in the small or large intestines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that the extract of E. KS acted on the intestinal smooth muscle with propulsion of feces involving the irritation of the intestines with acute inflammatory reactions.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Shuang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiu-Kun
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin-Yue
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Xian-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Dong-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D028481:Euphorbia / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha