Effects of Poncirus fructus on Gastrointestinal Motility in Guinea Pig : in vitro and in vivo Study

Lim, Jung Hyun; Kim, Hee Sun; Choi, Eun Ju; Shim, Chang Koo; Park, Hyojin

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS/AIM: The Poncirus Fructus (PF) is a dried immature fruit of Poncirus trifoliate (L.) Raf. and widely used as a traditional folk medicine in Eastern Asia. PF has been used for digestive disease, allergic, and chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, the effects of aqueous or alcohol extracts of PF on gastrointestinal motility of guinea pig was evaluated.
METHODS
Distal ileum was resected then placed into a peristaltic chamber. Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) solution was pumped into the lumen to induce peristalsis. The propagation velocity, amplitude of the peristaltic contraction, and area under curve (AUC) were measured. Colon was removed and the ends of the colon were connected to the two sides in the chamber. Artificial feces was inserted and K-H solution was pumped into the lumen. The colonic transit time was measured. Each aqueous (EAB239-W, EAB239-WE, EAB239-WW) and alcohol (EAB239-70%EtOH, EAB239-95%EtOH, EAB239-95%EtOH-H, EAB239-M-H) extract was administered to the chamber with increasing dose (1, 3, 10, 30, 100, 300 microgram/ml). Gastric, ileal, proximal and distal colonic motility were also measured in conscious guinea pig under treatment EAB239-WE or EAB239-WW.
RESULTS
In the ileum, EAB239-W accelerated the velocity of propagation (P<0.05). EAB239-95%EtOH-H and EAB239-M-H decreased the amplitude of the contraction (P<0.05). EAB239-WW and EAB239-95%EtOH-H also decreased the AUC (P<0.05). In the colon, EAB239-WE shortened the transit time but EAB239-70%EtOH and EAB239-95%EtOH delayed it significantly (P<0.05). The stimulatory effect induced by EAB239-W was attenuated by atropine and abolished by tetrodotoxin. EAB239-WE stimulated only distal colonic contraction in vivo study.
CONCLUSIONS
Each extract of the PF showed a significant effect on intestinal motility with either stimulatory or inhibitory action. These results suggest that PF has the potential for development as an agent for various functional bowel disorders.