XiangshaLiujunzi decoction alleviates the symptoms of functional dyspepsia by regulating brain-gut axis and production of neuropeptides.
BACKGROUND
Chinese medicine xiangshaliujunzi decoction (XSLJZD) plays a key role in treating functional dyspepsia (FD), a common clinical gastrointestinal disorder. However, the mechanism of this disease is unclear. Brain-gut axis regulates food intake behaviour, and this regulatory mechanism is mediated by neuropeptides. Brain-gut axis impairment and neuropeptide alteration may be the pathological mechanisms of FD, and brain-gut axis regulation may influence the action of medicine.


METHODS
In our experiment, the effect of XSLJZD on FD was evaluated in terms of food intake, sucrose preference test and electromyogram. Changes in neuropeptides [ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)] were detected through immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and ELISA.


RESULTS
XSLJZD increased food intake and the percentage of sucrose preference (>75 %). However, the response to gastric detention decreased. Furthermore, XSLJZD increased ghrelin, CCK, VIP proteins and genes in the stomach. XSLJZD also increased ghrelin, CCK and VIP proteins in serum. By contrast, XSLJZD decreased the mRNA expression of these neuropeptides in the hypothalamus.


CONCLUSIONS
XSLJZD alleviated the symptoms of FD by upregulating the production of ghrelin, CCK and VIP and by increasing the levels of these neuropeptides in circulation. This finding can help elucidate the mechanism of FD and can provide further insight into the pharmacokinetics of XSLJZD.
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. lglangfang@sina.com.
Jing
J
Liu
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. lifeng95@vip.sina.com.
Feng
F
Li
Digestive Department, Xiyuan Hospital, Affiliated with Chinese Academy of TCM, Beijing, China. txdly@sina.com.cn.
Xu-Dong
XD
Tang
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. majiefor1982@163.com.
Jie
J
Ma
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. ma_xin1982@sohu.com.
Xin
X
Ma
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. gedongyu@sohu.com.
Dong-Yu
DY
Ge
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. ligenmao@sohu.com.
Gen-Mao
GM
Li
School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. doctor_wangyong@163.com.
Yong
Y
Wang
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D004576:Electromyography / Q000187:drug effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009479:Neuropeptides; C000593026:Xiangshaliujunzi decoction; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013395:Sucrose