The Effect and Mechanism of New Processing Method of Codonopsis pilosula on Endocrine Physique Index in Rats

To explore the effect and mechanism of a new processing method of Codonopsis pilosula (CP) on the endocrine physique index in rats.

The rats were randomly assigned into the control group, model group, CP group (3.75 g/kg crude drug), rice-fried CP group (3.75 g/kg crude drug), and honey-roasted CP group (3.75 g/kg), with 10 rats in each group. All rats were gavaged according to the body weight of 1 mL/100 g every morning for 3 weeks. The water extracts of different processed products of CP were given to the drug group, the blank group, and the model group which were given the same volume of normal saline during the experiment. The model group and each administration group were fed every other day and drank freely for 21 days, during which the weight was weighed every 2 days. The changes of the organ index; the contents of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol (Cor); and the activity of sodium and potassium adenosine triphosphate (Na⁺K⁺-ATP) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) and aquaporin-2 (AQP2) mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.

Effect on the organ index: the organ index of the control group, CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group was higher compared to that of the model group, and the organ index of the honey moxibustion group was the highest (P < 0.05). The level of cAMP and the ratio of cAMP/cGMP in the model group were significantly higher compared to those of the control group (P < 0.05); CGMP in the model group decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the level of cAMP in the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group decreased significantly, while the ratio of cGMP and cAMP/cGMP increased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group, the level of cAMP and the ratio of cAMP/cGMP in the honey moxibustion group were lower compared to those in the other two groups, and the ratio of cGMP in the honey moxibustion group was higher compared to that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The contents of ACTH and Cor in the model group were significantly higher compared to those in the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the contents of ACTH and Cor in the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group were significantly lower compared to those in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group, the contents of ACTH and Cor in the honey moxibustion group were higher compared to those in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The content of the Na⁺K⁺-ATP enzyme in the model group was significantly higher compared to that in the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the content of the Na⁺K⁺-ATP enzyme in the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group, the content of the Na⁺K⁺-ATP enzyme in the honey moxibustion group was higher compared to that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The expression of AQP1 and AQP2 mRNA in the kidney tissue of the kidney yin deficiency model group was significantly higher compared to that of the control group (P < 0 05). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of AQP1 and AQP2 mRNA in the renal tissue of rats in the CP group, rice-fried group, and honey moxibustion group decreased in different degrees (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between the CP group, rice stir-frying group, and honey moxibustion group.

This study proves that the new processing method of CP can improve the endocrine physique index of rats, enhance their organ quality, and regulate the disorder of water metabolism in kidney yin deficiency syndrome and has a certain therapeutic effect on kidney yin deficiency syndrome. Different new processing methods of CP have different effects on promoting endocrine physique indexes of rats. It is concluded that honey-roasted CP has the best effect on promoting spleen deficiency, which may be through glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism, increasing ATP energy metabolism, so as to strengthen the symptoms of spleen deficiency in rats. The experimental data of this study indicate that the effect of honey-roasted CP is better compared to that of other processed products, which provides an experimental basis for the rational clinical application of the new processed products.