Effects of corydaline from Corydalis tuber on gastric motor function in an animal model

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prokinetic and gastric-relaxing effects of the isoquinoline alkaloid corydaline, which was extracted from Corydalis tubers (CT). Corydaline is a marker compound used for quality control of DA-9701, a prokinetic agent formulated from extracts of Pharbitidis semen and Corydalis tuber that is currently in clinical trials in Korea for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD). DA-9701 was previously reported to be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of abnormalities in gastrointestinal motor function in FD patients; however, the therapeutic effects of corydaline on FD have yet to be demonstrated in an in vivo study. In the current study, oral administration of corydaline not only significantly accelerated gastric emptying in normal rats but also improved delayed gastric emptying to near normal levels. Furthermore, corydaline induced significant gastric relaxation, shifting the pressure-volume curve towards higher volumes compared to controls. These results suggest that corydaline promotes gastric emptying and small intestinal transit and facilitates gastric accommodation.