The gene expression of the hypothalamic feeding-regulating peptides in cisplatin-induced anorexic rats.

Abstract

Cisplatin has been widely used; however, various disadvantageous side effects afflict patients. Rikkunshito (RKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has been widely prescribed in Japan to improve anorexia; but the mechanisms are unknown. Here we studied whether RKT could improve anorexia induced by cisplatin and changes in feeding-regulating peptides in the hypothalamus in rats. Adult male rats were divided into 4 groups: water+saline (WS), water+cisplatin (WC), RKT+saline (RS), and RKT+cisplatin (RC) groups. Water or RKT (1g/kg) was intragastrically administered for 4 days, from day -1 to day 2, and saline or cisplatin (6mg/kg) was intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered at day 0. After i.p. administration, cumulative food intake, water intake, urine volume and body weight were measured. The rats were then decapitated, followed by removal of the brain, and feeding-regulating peptides in the hypothalamus were measured by in situ hybridization histochemistry. In the three-day measurements, there were no significant changes in cumulative water intake and urine volume. The body weight and cumulative food intake in WC significantly decreased compared to WS, whereas these were not observed in RC. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) in WC significantly increased, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the ARC decreased compared to WS, whereas those in RS and RC were comparable to WS. These results suggest that RKT may have therapeutic potential for anorexia induced by cisplatin.

• Authors: Mitsuhiro Yoshimura, Takanori Matsuura, Junichi Ohkubo, Motoko Ohno, Takashi Maruyama, Toru Ishikura, Hirofumi Hashimoto, Tetsuya Kakuma, Hironobu Yoshimatsu, Kiyoshi Terawaki, Yasuhito Uezono, Yoichi Ueta
• Journal: Peptides (Peptides) Vol. 46 Pg. 13-9 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1873-5169 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23684922 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Ghrelin
• Nerve Tissue Proteins
• Neuropeptide Y
• Plant Extracts
• cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript protein
• liu-jun-zi-tang
• Pro-Opiomelanocortin
• Hesperidin
• Cisplatin

Topics

• Animals
• Anorexia (chemically induced, drug therapy, metabolism)
• Blood Glucose (drug effects)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Cisplatin
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology)
• Eating (drug effects)
• Feeding Behavior (drug effects)
• Ghrelin (blood)
• Herbal Medicine
• Hesperidin (pharmacology)
• Hypothalamus (drug effects, metabolism)
• Male
• Nerve Tissue Proteins (metabolism)
• Neuropeptide Y (metabolism)
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology)
• Pro-Opiomelanocortin (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar