title: The prophylactic effects of a traditional Japanese medicine, goshajinkigan, on paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy and its mechanism of action.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic effect of goshajinkigan (GJG) on paclitaxel (PTX)-induced neuropathy and to elucidate the mechanism of action.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a time-dependent irreversible decrease in pain threshold in PTX group. In PTX/GJG group, pain threshold showed changes in the same level as control. Electron microscope showed that although the ganglion cells of control and PTX/GJG groups were normal, degeneration of the nucleus and swelling of the mitochondria were observed in PTX group. Expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) gene in PTX group significantly increased compared with that in control and PTX/GJG groups. In TRPV4 knock-out mice, no PTX-induced hyperalgesia was observed, and there was no significant difference in pain threshold between the 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results showed that PTX induced hyperalgesia by enhancing TRPV4 expression, and suggested that GJG might alleviate hyperalgesia by preventing degeneration of the ganglion cells and suppressing TRPV4 expression.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki Graduate School of Medicine, 5-Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8562, Japan. yokoyama@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshihito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Hachidai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirakawa
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shigeto
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Futagami
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizunuma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000633:toxicity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000633:toxicity; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C493921:TRPV1 protein, mouse; C119642:gosha-jinki-gan; D017239:Paclitaxel