title: Effects of Schisandra chinensis extract on gastrointestinal motility in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (SC) continues to be used as a traditional folk medicine in Asia, especially for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders related to gastritis, diarrhea, enterocolitis and abnormal GI motility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Because GI disorders, especially abnormal GI motility, are major lifelong problems, we investigated the effects of SC on the pacemaker activity of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in murine small intestine and GI motility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Enzymatic digestions were used to dissociate ICCs from small intestines, and the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration was used to record potentials generated by cultured ICCs. In vivo effects of SC on GI motility were investigated by measuring the intestinal transit rate (ITR) of Evans blue in normal and GI motility dysfunction mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SC extracts depolarized the membrane potentials of ICCs in a dose dependent manner. Pretreatment with Ca(2+) free solution or thapsigargin (a Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor in the endoplasmic reticulum) abolished the generation of pacemaker potentials by ICCs, and under these conditions, SC extract did not depolarize the membrane potentials of ICCs. In addition, membrane depolarizations were inhibited by intracellular GDPβS and by U-73122 (an active phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor). In normal mice, ITRs were significantly increased by SC extract (0.1-1g/kg, intragastrically (i.g.)) in a dose dependent manner. Also, SC extract significantly recovered the GI motility dysfunctions in acetic acid (AA)-injected and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, which are the GI motility animal models.
  
  
  METHODS
  SC extract modulates pacemaker potentials in ICCs in a dose dependent manner via external and internal Ca(2+) regulations, and via G protein and the PLC pathway. In addition, SC extract increased ITRs in normal and abnormal GI motility mice models. This study shows that SC extract offers a basis for the development of a prokinetic agent that prevents or alleviates GI motility dysfunctions.
authors: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea; Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors: Tae Seok
authors: TS
authors: Ahn
authors: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea; Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors: Dae Geon
authors: DG
authors: Kim
authors: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea; Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors: Noo Ri
authors: NR
authors: Hong
authors: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea; Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyun Soo
authors: HS
authors: Park
authors: Division of Pharmacology, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyungwoo
authors: H
authors: Kim
authors: Division of Applied Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea; Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ki-Tae
authors: KT
authors: Ha
authors: Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ju-Hong
authors: JH
authors: Jeon
authors: Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Republic of Korea.
authors: Insuk
authors: I
authors: So
authors: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea; Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 626-870, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: vision@pusan.ac.kr.
authors: Byung Joo
authors: BJ
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032141:Schisandra; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders; Interstitial cells of Cajal; Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill