ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the protective effects of Erqi Decoction(EQD; mainly composed of Radix Aristolochiae Kaempferi, Radix Rhizoma Seu Flos Cypripedii, Cortex Fraxini, Cortex Phellodendri, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) on the intestinal tract in rats with acute radiation intestinal injury and its mechanism. Methods Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, EQD group and Baitouweng Decoction group (BD group), 15 rats in each group. The acute radiation enteritis model was established by exposing the whole abdomen to a total dose of 10 Gy of 6 MV higher-energy X-rays. EQD group and BD group were given intragastrical administration with corresponding medicine of EQD at the dose of 8.85 g·kg-1·d-1, BD at the dose of 4.69 g·kg-1·d-1 respectively, and the normal group and the model group were given intragastrical administration with the same volume of normal saline. The treatment lasted for 7 continuous days. After modeling, the morphological change of the proximal ileum tissue was observed under light microscope. Villus height, crypt depth, and thickness of the ileal mucosa and entire wall were measured by image analysis system. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) content in ileum tissue was determined by spectrophotometer, and the expression levels of caspase -3 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in ileum tissue were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results EQD group and BD group had milder injuries of the ileal structure, and had higher villus height, crypt depth, and thickness of mucosa and entire wall than those in the model group (P 0.05). MPO content in EQD group and BD group was decreased(P0.05). Conclusion EQD has certain protective effects against radiation-induced intestinal damage, which mechanism is probably associated with relieving the local intestinal inflammatory reaction, accelerating intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, and inhibiting intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of Erqi decoction (EQD) for treatment of acute radiation enteritis in SD rats and the related mechanism. Methods A total of 53 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group model group, EQD group and Baitouwengtang (BTWT) group, with 8 rats in the normal control group and 15 in each of the rest groups. Rats in the latter three groups were exposed to a single dose of 10 Gy 6 MV higher-energy X-rays on the abdominal region to establish the acute radiation enteritis models. Then all the rats were intragastrically administered with corresponding agents for a consecutive of 7 days. Then 10 ml ileum samples in ileocecal junction were obtained from each animal under general anesthesia. The morphologic indiceswere examined by light microscopy and the image analysis system. The nitric oxide (NO) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the small intestinal homogenates were measured by spectrophotometer. Results The EQD group had significantly higher villus height ([243±9] vs [211 ±21] μm), deeper crypt ([171 ± 12] vs [142±10] μm), thicker mucosa ([460±21] vs [420±37] μm) and entirewall thickness ([609±19] vs [569 ±21] (μm) than the model group (P<0. 05), and the above parameters were not significantly different between the EQD group and the BTWT group. EQ group had significantly lower NO level ([0. 88 ± 0. 11] vs [1. 65 ±0. 12] μmol/g), higher MDA level ([3. 20±0. 12] vs [4. 75±0. 24] nmol/mg) and lower SOD activity ([212±13] vs [150± 11] U/mg, P< 0. 05) in the intestine compared with the model group (P<0. 05). EQD group had significantly lower NO and MDA levels and higher SOD activity compared with the BTWT group (P<0. 05). Conclusion It is indicated that EQD has protective effect against intestine mucosa damage in acute radiation enteritis rat model by reducing the intestinal NO generation, improving intestinal SOD activity, reducing MDA generation. Anti-free radical injury may be one of the mechanisms for treatment of acute radiation enteritis.