Effect Of Serum After Taking Da Cheng Qi Tang, Emodin, And Magnolol On Pacemaker Currents Of Interstitial Cells Of Cajal In Rat

Backgroud: The interstitial cells of Cajal(ICCs) are distributed in the gastrointestinal tract between the nerve endings and smooth muscle cells,ICCs are the pacing cells which produce the slow-wave in the gastrointestinal tract,are intermediaries of enteric nervous system and smooth muscle, and control the spread of the gastrointestinal tract contraction. Recent studies show that not only some internal diseases such as diabetes gastroparesis, habitual constipation and pseudo-obstruction are caused by gastrointestinal movement dysfunciton, and some surgical diseases such as acute peritonitis, a serious infection, organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) caused by trauma, and gastrointestinal paralysis are also closely related to movement dysfunction in gastrointestinal tract. Since acute peritonitis and MODS can cause gastrointestinal motility dysfunction, and the ICC is closely related to gastrointestinal function, the study of the ICC is been as the focus in the study of gastrointestinal motility. In clinical practice of Integrated Chinese and Western medicine, it was found that Da Cheng Qi Tang(DCQT) was used in treatment of gastrointestinal movement in MODS and getting good effectiveness.Objective: To study the effects of DCQT and its active ingredients (emodin and magnolol)on membrane potential of ICC in small intestine of Wistar rat by patch-clamp.Methods: The ICCs in small intestine of Wistar rat were isolated and cultured. The pacing current in ICC was recorded by whole cell patch-clamp for observing the effects of the plasma of the rats after taking DCQT, emodin, and magnolol.Results: The amplitude and frequency of membrance current in ICC were increased by 53.7% and 78.9%, respectively(n=8, P<0.05) using theplasma; the amplitude and frequency were increased by 50.9% and 57.3%, respectively(n=8, P<0.05) using emodin; and by 44.7% and 24.6%, respectively(n=8, P<0.05) using magnolol.Conclusion: The plasma of the rat after taking DCQT, emodin, and magnolol can obviously make increase of membrane current in ICC of rat. DCQT can promote the recovery of gastrointestinal movement dysfunction in MODS and treat the MODS caused by peritonitis by activating the current potential in ICC.