Anti-Inflammatory Response and Muscarinic Cholinergic Regulation during the Laxative Effect of Asparagus cochinchinensis in Loperamide-Induced Constipation of SD Rats.

Ji Kim,Dae Hwang,You Choi,Jin Hong,Su Bae,Young Lee,Hee Lee,Hyeon Choi,Mi Kang,Ji Park

doi:10.3390/ijms20040946

Abstract

Several types of saponins and herbal plants containing saponins have been reported to have anti-inflammatory or laxative activities. To verify the therapeutic effects of saponin-enriched extracts of Asparagus cochinchinensis (SPA) on the anti-inflammatory response and on the cholinergic regulation in the gastrointestinal system, an alteration on the constipation phenotypes, on the inflammatory responses, and on the muscarinic cholinergic regulation were investigated in the transverse colons of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with loperamide (Lop)-induced constipation after the treatment of SPA. Significant increases were observed on the total number of stools, the gastrointestinal transit, the thickness of the mucosal layer, the flat luminal surface, the number of paneth cells, and the lipid droplets in the Lop + SPA-treated group as compared to the Lop + Vehicle-treated group. SPA treatment induced the recovery of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) and IL-6), inflammatory mediators (NF-κB and iNOS), the total number of infiltered mast cells, and mucin secretion. Also, some similar improvements were observed on the levels of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity and on the phosphorylation of myosin light chains (MLC) as well as the expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors M2/M3 (mAChR M2/M3) and their mediators. The results presented herein provide the first strong evidence that SPA stimulates anti-inflammatory responses and the muscarinic cholinergic regulation when exerting its laxative effects in the chronic constipation of Lop-induced models.

Highlights

Constipation is an acute or chronic gastrointestinal disease characterized by infrequent bowel movements, difficulty during defecation, incomplete bowel evacuation, and hard and dry feces [1]
Decreases observed in the stool number, weight, and water content as well as the round form of hard stools of the Lop + Vehicle-treated group were almost recovered in the Lop + saponin-enriched extracts of Asparagus cochinchinensis (SPA)-treated group relative to the non-constipation (CNTR) and SPA-treated groups (Figure 1)
A reverse pattern of the stool parameters was observed for urine volume, and the enhanced urine volume after Lop treatment decreased after the administration of SPA (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Constipation is an acute or chronic gastrointestinal disease characterized by infrequent bowel movements, difficulty during defecation, incomplete bowel evacuation, and hard and dry feces [1]. Chemical drugs (laxatives) such as senna, correctol, exlax, senokot, and gaviscon are frequently administered to patients with constipation [2]. These drugs act as stimulants to increase the bulkiness and to soften stool or as osmotic agents that enhance water flow into the colon to promote elimination and to trigger bowel movements. The primary focus for constipation therapy remains on the identification of novel laxatives derived from natural products that have no side effects

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion