title: Protective effect of Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi decoction, the water extract of Chinese traditional herbal medicine, on 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice.
abstract: Intestinal mucositis is a serious toxic side effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment. Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi decoction (BZYQD), a water extract of Chinese traditional herbal medicine, is widely used in chemotherapy in Asia as an alternative treatment to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. However, the mechanism is unknown. To evaluate its mechanism, we investigated the effect of BZYQD on 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis in mice, especially with regard to apoptosis in the intestinal mucosal epithelia. In the present study, mice were divided into three groups: control, 5-FU, and 5-FU + BZYQD. Mice in the 5-FU and 5-FU + BZYQD groups were administered 5-FU (100 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) for 6 days, and the mice in the latter group were given BZYQD (8 g/kg/day, intragastrically) beginning 4 days before 5-FU and continuing until the termination of the experiment. Loss in body weight and diarrhea during the 5-FU treatment were significantly attenuated by administration of BZYQD. The morphological signs of intestinal damage, including shortened villi height, crypt destruction, apoptosis, and necrosis, in intestinal mucosal epithelia were also reversed, accompanied by reduced neutrophil infiltration, nitrite levels, and inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β) and increased levels of reduced glutathione. These results suggest that BZYQD inhibits 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis, and this effect may be due to the reduction in apoptosis and necrosis in intestinal mucosal epithelia via the suppression of inflammatory cytokine upregulation. In conclusion, inhibiting cytokine-mediated apoptosis or necrosis can be the molecular mechanism by which BZYQD reduces the gastrointestinal side effects of cancer chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for TCM Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Ministry of Education of China (Province-Ministry Co-construct), Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for TCM Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Ministry of Education of China (Province-Ministry Co-construct), Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Northeastern Yucai Foreign Language School, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: B Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for TCM Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Ministry of Education of China (Province-Ministry Co-construct), Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for TCM Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Ministry of Education of China (Province-Ministry Co-construct), Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China 1205055348@qq.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000633:toxicity*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000633:toxicity*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C402943:bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: 5-FU; Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi decoction; apoptosis; inflammation; intestinal mucositis