Abstract
Context: Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum (ALR), the dry rhizome of Aquilaria agallocha R. (Thymelaeaeeae), has been widely used to treat emesis, stomachache and gastrointestinal dysfunction.Objective: This study evaluates the effects of ALR methanol extract on gastrointestinal motility (GIM) and possible mechanisms of the action involved.Materials and methods: In vivo, the study evaluated the effects of ALR (200–800 mg/kg) on gastric emptying and small intestinal motility in normal and neostigmine-induced adult KM mice. The in vitro effects of ALR (0.2–1.6 mg/mL) on GIM were performed on isolated jejunum of Wistar rats, pretreated with acetylcholine (ACh), KCl, CaCl2, and pre-incubation with l-NAME (a selective inhibitor of the nitric oxide synthase).Results: In vivo, ALR (800 mg/kg) decreased gastric emptying (70.82 ± 9.81%, p < 0.01, compared with neostigmine group 91.40 ± 7.81%), small intestinal transit (42.82 ± 3.82%, p < 0.01, compared with neostigmine group 85.53 ± 5.57%). In vitro, ALR concentration dependently decreased the contractions induced by ACh (10−5 M) and KCl (60 mM) with respective EC50 values of 0.35 and 0.32 mg/mL. The Ca2+ concentration–response curves were shifted by ALR to the right, similar to that caused by verapamil (the positive). The spasmolytic activity of ALR was inhibited by pre-incubation with l-NAME.Discussion and conclusions: ALR played a spasmolytic role in GIM, which is probably mediated through inhibition of muscarinic receptors, blockade of Ca2+ influx and NO release. This is the first study presenting a comprehensive description of the effects of ALR on GIM.
Highlights
Functional gastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux, as well as other symptoms are common and varied pathological illnesses in the GI tract (Chang 2004; Defrees and Bailey 2017; Vakil et al 2017; Pandit et al 2018)
We found that Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum (ALR) presented inhibitory effects on the gastrointestinal motility (GIM), and mediated possibly through the combination of anticholinergic, Ca2þ antagonist and gasotransmitters
The curve of CaCl2 concentration–response in the presence of ALR at the concentration of 1.6 mg/mL was similar to that of verapamil (Grasa et al 2004). These results indicated that ALR acted as a calcium channel blocker interfering with Ca2þ movement to present the spasmolytic activity
Summary
Functional gastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux, as well as other symptoms (e.g., abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, etc.) are common and varied pathological illnesses in the GI tract (Chang 2004; Defrees and Bailey 2017; Vakil et al 2017; Pandit et al 2018). These diseases have adverse effects on the quality of people’s lives and greatly increase health-care costs. Several studies have been undertaken to provide scientific proof to justify the medicinal use of various plants in the treatment for GI tract diseases (Hu et al 2009; Lam et al 2010; Mehmood et al 2011; Neamsuvan and Ruangrit 2017)
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