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Hetong decoction relieves loperamide-induced constipation in rats by regulating expression of aquaporins
Huang Xi1, Xia Youguang1, Han Kai1
1Department of Anorectal, Xuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Xuzhou 221000, China.
Objective:
To investigate whether Hetong decoction (, HTT) alleviates constipation via regulating AQPs expression.
Methods:
Constipation in rats was induced by loperamide, and rats were randomly assigned into model (saline), HHT-low (95 g/kg), HTT-medium (190 g/kg), HTT-high (380 g/kg) and positive control (mosapride) groups. Then the defecation function, the concentration of serum arginine vasopressin (AVP) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and the expression of AQP3 and AQP8 in colon tissues were assessed. NCM460 colon cells with AQP3 and AQP8 knockdown or overexpression were exposed to serum from rats that received low or high dose of HTT, followed by detection of AQP3 and AQP8 expression.
Results:
The model group showed lower fecal weight and water content, weaker intestinal transit, higher serum concentration of AVP and cAMP, increased proximal and distal AQP8 expression, increased proximal but decreased distal AQP3 expression. However, these trends were reversed in both the HTT group (low, medium and high dose) and the positive control group. In NCM460 cells, HTT dose-dependently stabilized AQP3 and AQP8 expression under AQP3/8 plasmid interference or overexpression.
Conclusions:
HTT relieves constipation in rats through regulating AQP3 and AQP8 expression.
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