title: Antitussive activity of the Schisandra chinensis fruit polysaccharide (SCFP-1) in guinea pigs models.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (S. chinensis), locally known as "Wuweizi", has been used in the treatment of chronic cough as prescription medications of Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. However, the components of antitussive activity of S. chinensis and the mechanism are poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the antitussive activity of polysaccharides extracted from S. chinensis.
  
  
  METHODS
  S. chinensis fruit polysaccharide-1 (SCFP-1) was extracted by 95% ethanol and distilled water successively, and then the water extraction was isolated with chromatographic columns. The preliminary characterization of SCFP-1 was analyzed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and some other recognized chemical methods. Antitussive potential of SCFP-1 was estimated at dose of 250, 500, and 1000mg/kg respectively by peroral administration in a guinea pigs model with cough hypersensitivity induced by cigarette smoke (Chronic cough model) or acute cough guinea model induced by citric acid (Acute cough model). Also, the time-dependent antitussive effect of SCFP-1 were evaluated with acute cough model, and compared with codeine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The molecular of SCFP-1 was 3.18×104Da, mainly being composed of glucose and arabinose (66.5% and 29.4%, respectively). Peroral administration of SCFP-1 at 250, 500, and 1000mg/kg showed remarkable suppressive effects respectively on cough in both of chronic cough model and acute cough model. Meanwhile, inflammatory cell in BALF and some typical characteristics of nonspecific airway inflammation in animals exposed to CS was significantly attenuated after pretreatment with SCFP-1. The cough suppression of SCFP-1 (500 mg/kg) stablly lasted during the whole 5 h of time-dependent experiment, while no positive effect was observed after 300 min of oral administration of codeine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCFP-1 is one of the antitussive components of S. chinensis.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Shan
authors: S
authors: Zhong
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xiao-Dong
authors: XD
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yi-Chu
authors: YC
authors: Nie
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Zhen-Yong
authors: ZY
authors: Gan
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Li-Qi
authors: LQ
authors: Yang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Chu-Qin
authors: CQ
authors: Huang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: klai@163.com.
authors: Ke-Fang
authors: KF
authors: Lai
authors: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, No 151 Yanjiang Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, People's Republic of China.
authors: Nan-Shan
authors: NS
authors: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032141:Schisandra / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Anti-inflammation; Antitussive activity; Cough; Polysaccharide; Schisandra chinensis