Atractylodes oil alleviates diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome by regulating intestinal inflammation and intestinal barrier via SCF/c-kit and MLCK/MLC2 pathways.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. is a widely used traditional herb that is well known for treating spleen deficiency and diarrhea. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is caused by cold and dampness, resulting in diarrhea and abdominal pain. Nevertheless, the effect and mechanism of Atractylodes on IBS-D are still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

This study was designed to confirm the therapeutic effect of Atractylodes lanceolata oil (AO) in a rat model of IBS-D, and to determine the mechanisms by which AO protects against the disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The chemical components in AO were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The expression levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and surfactant protein (SP) in serum and colon tissue were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to elucidate the mechanism of action of AO toward inflammation and the intestinal barrier in a rat model of IBS-D.

RESULTS:

The 15 chemical substances of the highest concentration in AO were identified using GC-MS. AO was effective against IBS-D in the rat model, in terms of increased body weight, diarrhea grade score, levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), and aquaporin 8 (AQP8), and reduced fecal moisture content, levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), 5-HT, VIP, and SP, while also reducing intestinal injury, as observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. In addition, the results indicated that AO increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of stem cell factor (SCF) and c-kit and enhanced the levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin, as well as decreased the levels of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and inhibited the phosphorylation of myosin light chain 2 (p-MLC2).

CONCLUSIONS:

AO was found to be efficacious in the rat model of IBS-D. AO inhibited the SCF/c-kit pathway, thereby reducing inflammation and protecting against intestinal barrier damage via the MLCK/MLC2 pathway.

• Authors: Ying Xie, Xin Zhan, Jiyuan Tu, Kang Xu, Xiongjie Sun, Chunlian Liu, Chang Ke, Guosheng Cao, Zhongshi Zhou, Yanju Liu
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 272 Pg. 113925 (May 23 2021) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 33592255 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Aquaporins
• Cytokines
• MYL2 protein, rat
• Myosin Light Chains
• Plant Oils
• Stem Cell Factor
• Tight Junction Proteins
• Serotonin
• Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
• Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase

Topics

• Animals
• Aquaporins (genetics, metabolism)
• Atractylodes (chemistry)
• Colitis (metabolism)
• Cytokines (genetics, metabolism)
• Diarrhea (drug therapy)
• Intestinal Mucosa (drug effects)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (drug therapy, pathology)
• Myosin Light Chains (genetics, metabolism)
• Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase (genetics, metabolism)
• Plant Oils (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit (genetics, metabolism)
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Serotonin (metabolism)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Stem Cell Factor (genetics, metabolism)
• Tight Junction Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (metabolism)