Qizhi Weitong Granules Alleviate Functional Dyspepsia-like Gastric Hypersensitivity in Rats by Inhibiting Inflammatory Cytokines and Strengthening Duodenal Mucosal Barrier

Abstract

Background: Qizhi Weitong (QZWT) granules are a compound preparation of Chinese medicine, which are approved by theChina Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD) and have been used in clinical practice fordecades. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether QZWT granules can alleviate gastric hypersensitivity by improvinglow-grade inflammation and the mucosal barrier in the duodenum in a functional dyspepsia-like (FD-like) model in rats.Methods: FD-like gastric hypersensitivity in adulthood was induced by iodoacetamide (IA) in neonatal rats. Thirty-twoSprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly classified into the control, model, QZWT, and Mosapride groups. Further, 0.2 mLof 0.1% iodoacetamide and 2.0% sucrose administrated by oral gavage was used to establish the FD-like rats model (oncea day, for six consecutive days). Electromyography (EMG) was used to evaluate the visceral motor response to gastricdilation. After treatment, the fluorescein isothiocyanate-glucan (FITC-glucan) test was performed to evaluate duodenalpermeability; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used toevaluate the pro-inflammatory cytokines for duodenal epithelial cells and the tight junction (TJ) proteins of the duodenalmucosa. Results: The EMG score was elevated in the model group compared to the control group, but it decreased afterQZWT intervention; no changes were observed between the Mosapride and model groups. Compared with the controlgroup, rats in the gastric hypersensitivity model group showed a higher expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosisfactor-α (TNF-α) and lower expression of zona occludens protein 1 (ZO-1), occludin, and desmosome (DSG2) of junctionproteins (P < 0.05); while in the QZWT group, the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α was reduced (P < 0.01), and the expressionof ZO-1, occludin, and DSG2 was increased compared to the model group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: QZWT granulesalleviate visceral hypersensitivity in an FD-like model in rats by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α andregulating junction proteins.