title: Cactus (Opuntia humifusa) water extract ameliorates loperamide-induced constipation in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Korean cactus Cheonnyuncho (Opuntia humifusa) is rich in pectin, phenols, flavonoids, and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Some Koreans drink Cheonnyuncho juice prepared by grinding Cheonnyuncho with water. Cheonnyuncho is well known for its functional properties and antioxidant effects, but its effect on constipation has not been sufficiently studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Loperamide (2 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously to induce constipation in rats. The animals were divided into four groups: a normal group (NOR), constipation control group (CON), and two constipation groups receiving the Cheonnyuncho extract (CE) at two different concentrations in drinking water, 3% (L-CE group) and 6% (H-CE group), for 25 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fecal pellet numbers of NOR and L-CE were significantly increased from 35.67 ± 2.09 (CON) to 50.60 ± 1.38 and 46.50 ± 2.91 after loperamide treatment, respectively (p < 0.05). The water content of fecal excretions was significantly enhanced in only the L-CE group (33.05 ± 0.49%) compared to control (23.38 ± 1.26%) (p < 0.05) after loperamide treatment. The oral intake of CE (L-CE and H-CE groups) significantly increased levels of the intestinal transit ratio (45.25 ± 1.86% and 41.05 ± 2.47%, respectively) compared to the CON group (32.15 ± 2.05%) (p < 0.05). Treatment with the low concentration of CE significantly increased fecal levels of acetic, propionic, butyric, and valeric acids, as well as the total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration. Histological analyses revealed that the thickness of the distal colon also increased in the CE-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Constipation decreased when CE was fed to the rats. In particular, the fecal pellet number and water content, as well as histological parameters such as distal colon thickness, improved. The CE treatment also increased the fecal SCFA content. These results show that the extract of Cheonnyuncho (O. humifusa) alleviated the symptoms of loperamide-induced constipation.
authors.affiliation: BK21Plus, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Regulatory Affairs & Product Compliance Korea and Philippines, Herbalife Korea, Seoul, 06052, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungmi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: So Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Agency for Korea National Food Cluster, Iksan, 54622, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea. suh1960@korea.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyung Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003248:Constipation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003672:Defecation / Q000187:drug effects; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008139:Loperamide; D008297:Male; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D008139:Loperamide
keywords: Cheonnyuncho; Constipation; Gastrointestinal transit; Loperamide; Opuntia humifusa