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Tsunokawa Y, Tsukada M, Inoue T, Tamaoka M, Mugita T, Chuluunbat O, Maeda Y, Fukagai T, Ogawa Y, Sunagawa M. Analgesic Effect of the Kampo Formula Yokukansan via the Suppression of Substance P in an Experimental Rat Model of Hunner-Type Interstitial Cystitis. Cureus 2024; 16:e52238. [PMID: 38352105 PMCID: PMC10862183 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Yokukansan (YKS), a Kampo formula used in traditional Japanese medicine, has an analgesic effect, and is used for various pain disorders. This study investigated its analgesic effects on Hunner-type interstitial cystitis (HIC) and its mechanism of action in animal models. Methods: Rats with toll-like receptor-7 agonist (loxoribine)-induced HIC were used. Eight-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control, HIC, and HIC-administered YKS (YKS + HIC). Bladder pain was assessed based on escape behavior using the von Frey test. Three days after HIC induction, the bladder and spinal cord were excised, and the expression of substance P (SP) was examined. Results: The pain threshold decreased significantly in the HIC group compared to that in the control group, but this decrease was suppressed by further YKS administration. The expression of SP in the bladder wall and spinal cord increased significantly in the HIC group compared to that in the control group; however, this increase was suppressed by YKS administration. CONCLUSION SP is involved in the onset of bladder pain via neurokinin 1 receptors in bladder tissue. YKS may be useful for managing HIC-induced pain, and the suppression of SP secretion is one of its mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiki Tsunokawa
- Department of Physiology, Showa University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Mana Tsukada
- Research Administration Center, Showa University, Tokyo, JPN
- Department of Physiology, Showa University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Tatsuki Inoue
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Masashi Tamaoka
- Department of Physiology, Showa University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Toshiki Mugita
- Department of Physiology, Showa University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | | | - Yoshiko Maeda
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Takashi Fukagai
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Yoshio Ogawa
- Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Masataka Sunagawa
- Department of Physiology, Showa University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN
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Yang SY, Lin ZX, Xian YF, Zhang HM, Xu HX. Traditional uses, chemical compounds, pharmacological activities and clinical studies on the traditional Chinese prescription Yi-Gan San. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 302:115859. [PMID: 36280017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE A widely used traditional prescription, Yi-Gan San (YGS) is a remedy for neurodegenerative disorders. The formulation consists of seven Chinese medicinal materials in specific proportions, namely Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis (Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Miq. ex Havil.), Bupleuri Radix (Bupleurum chinense DC.), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels), Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Ligusticum wallichii Franch.), Poria (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.) and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.). Using YGS has been shown to alleviate various behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). AIM OF THIS REVIEW The goal of this review is to give up-to-date information about the traditional uses, chemistry, pharmacology and clinical efficacy of YGS based on the scientific literature and to learn the current focus and provide references in the next step. MATERIALS AND METHODS The database search room was accessed using the search terms "Yi-Gan San" and "Yokukansan" to obtain results from resources such as Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar and Sci Finder Scholar. We not only consulted the literature of fellow authors for this review but also explored classical medical books. RESULTS YGS has been used to cure neurosis, sleeplessness, night weeping and restlessness in infants. Its chemical components primarily consist of triterpenes, flavonoids, phenolics, lactones, alkaloids and other types of compounds. These active ingredients displayed diverse pharmacological activities to ameliorate BPSD by regulating serotonergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, adrenergic, and GABAergic neurotransmission. In addition, YGS showed neuroprotective, antistress, and anti-inflammatory effects. The majority of cases of neurodegenerative disorders are treated with YGS, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. CONCLUSIONS Based on previous studies, YGS has been used as a traditional prescription in East Asia, such as Japan, Korea and China, and it has diverse chemical compounds and multiple pharmacological activities. Nevertheless, few experimental studies have focused on chemical and quantitative YGS studies, suggesting that further comprehensive research on its chemicals and quality assessments is critical for future evaluations of drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yu Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China; Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for TCM New Drug Discovery, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhi-Xiu Lin
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China; Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yan-Fang Xian
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Hong-Mei Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Hong-Xi Xu
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Ohashi Y, Sakhri FZ, Ikemoto H, Okumo T, Adachi N, Sunagawa M. Yokukansan Inhibits the Development of Morphine Tolerance by Regulating Presynaptic Proteins in DRG Neurons. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:862539. [PMID: 35662731 PMCID: PMC9157577 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.862539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids, such as morphine, are used in clinical settings for the management of acute and chronic pain. However, long-term use of morphine leads to antinociceptive tolerance and hypersensitivity. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of morphine tolerance seem to be quite complex, with suggestions including internalization of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), neuroinflammation with activation of microglia and astrocytes, and changes in synaptic function in the central nervous system. Yokukansan (YKS), a traditional Kampo medicine consisting of seven herbs, has been used to treat emotional instability, neurosis, and insomnia. Interestingly, recent studies have begun to reveal the inhibitory effect of YKS on the development of morphine tolerance. In the present study, we determined the effect of YKS on morphine tolerance formation and its mechanisms in a rat model, focusing on the synapses between primary sensory neurons and spinal dorsal horn secondary neurons. We found that morphine tolerance formation was significantly inhibited by YKS (0.3 or 1.0 g/kg/day) preadministration for 7 days. Repeated administration of morphine (10 mg/kg/day) increased the expression of presynaptic proteins, including synaptotagmin I, in the spinal cord, which was suppressed by YKS. Furthermore, these changes in presynaptic protein expression were more pronounced at isolectin B4 (IB4)-positive excitatory synapses around the lamina II of the dorsal horn. These results suggest that YKS suppresses the development of morphine tolerance by inhibiting the enhancement of presynaptic function of dorsal root ganglia neurons projecting to spinal dorsal horn neurons caused by continuous morphine administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Ohashi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fatma Zahra Sakhri
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideshi Ikemoto
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Okumo
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Adachi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masataka Sunagawa
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
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Comparative study of dezocine, pentazocine and tapentadol on antinociception and physical dependence. Life Sci 2021; 285:119996. [PMID: 34597607 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Dezocine and pentazocine, widely prescribed in China for postoperative pain, were initially considered as mixed agonist/antagonist targeting μ-opioid receptors (MORs) and κ-opioid receptors (KORs). However, dezocine has been revealed to alleviate chronic neuropathic pain through MOR activation and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition (NRI). This study investigated dezocine- and pentazocine-induced antinociception and physical dependence development, compared to the typical MOR-NRI opioid tapentadol. MAIN METHODS Calcium mobilization assay was conducted to assess the potency of the drugs while hot-plate test was performed to compare the antinociception. Physical dependence development was compared with morphine. KEY FINDINGS Treatment with dezocine, pentazocine and tapentadol stimulated calcium mobilization in HEK293 cells stably expressed MORs but not KORs, whereas dezocine and pentazocine inhibited KOR activities. Subcutaneously injected dezocine-, tapentadol- and pentazocine-induced antinociception dose-dependently, in hot-plate test. Intrathecally injected MOR antagonist CTAP, norepinephrine depletor 6-OHDA and α2-adrenoceptor (α2-AR) antagonist yohimbine partially antagonized dezocine, pentazocine and tapentadol antinociception. Whereas specific KOR antagonist GNTI did not alter their antinociception, the putative inverse KOR agonist nor-BNI reduced dezocine and pentazocine antinociception. Moreover, combined CTAP and 6-OHDA or yohimbine blocked dezocine and tapentadol antinociception but displayed the same partial inhibition on pentazocine antinociception as CTAP alone. Furthermore, compared to morphine and pentazocine, long-term treatment with dezocine and tapentadol produced much less physical dependence-related withdrawal signs, which were restored by spinal 6-OHDA or yohimbine treatment. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings illustrated that dezocine and tapentadol, but not pentazocine, exert remarkable antinociception in nociceptive pain with less abuse liability via dual mechanisms of MOR activation and NRI.
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Kushida H, Matsumoto T, Ikarashi Y. Properties, Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics of Active Indole and Oxindole Alkaloids in Uncaria Hook. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:688670. [PMID: 34335255 PMCID: PMC8317223 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.688670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncaria Hook (UH) is a dry stem with hook of Ucaria plant and is contained in Traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine such as yokukansan, yokukansankachimpihange, chotosan, Gouteng-Baitouweng, and Tianma-Gouteng Yin. UH contains active indole and oxindole alkaloids and has the therapeutic effects on ailments of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. The recent advances of analytical technology led to reports of detailed pharmacokinetics of UH alkaloids. These observations of pharmacokinetics are extremely important for understanding the treatment’s pharmacological activity, efficacy, and safety. This review describes properties, pharmacology, and the recently accumulated pharmacokinetic findings of UH alkaloids, and discusses challenges and future prospects. UH contains major indole and oxindole alkaloids such as corynoxeine, isocorynoxeine, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, hirsuteine, hirsutine, and geissoschizine methyl ether (GM). These alkaloids exert neuroprotective effects against Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and depression, and the mechanisms of these effects include anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuromodulatory activities. Among the UH alkaloids, GM exhibits comparatively potent pharmacological activity (e.g., agonist activity at 5-HT1A receptors). UH alkaloids are absorbed into the blood circulation and rapidly eliminated when orally administered. UH alkaloids are predominantly metabolized by Cytochrome P450 (CYP) and converted into various metabolites, including oxidized and demethylated forms. Regarding GM metabolism by CYPs, a gender-dependent difference is observed in rats but not in humans. Several alkaloids are detected in the brain after passing through the blood–brain barrier in rats upon orally administered. GM is uniformly distributed in the brain and binds to various channels and receptors such as the 5-HT receptor. By reviewing the pharmacokinetics of UH alkaloids, challenges were found, such as differences in pharmacokinetics between pure drug and crude drug products administration, food-influenced absorption, metabolite excretion profile, and intestinal tissue metabolism of UH alkaloids. This review will provide readers with a better understanding of the pharmacokinetics of UH alkaloids and their future challenges, and will be helpful for further research on UH alkaloids and crude drug products containing UH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Kushida
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takashi Matsumoto
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yasushi Ikarashi
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
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Analgesic Effect of Combined Therapy with the Japanese Herbal Medicine " Yokukansan" and Electroacupuncture in Rats with Acute Inflammatory Pain. MEDICINES 2021; 8:medicines8060031. [PMID: 34204458 PMCID: PMC8234278 DOI: 10.3390/medicines8060031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Background: Japanese herbal medicine, called Kampo medicine, and acupuncture are mainly used in Japanese traditional medicine. In this experiment, the analgesic effect of Yokukansan (YKS) alone and a combination of YKS and electroacupuncture (EA) on inflammatory pain induced by formalin injection were examined. Methods: Animals were divided into four groups: a control group, formalin injection group (formalin), YKS-treated formalin group (YKS), and YKS- and EA-treated formalin group (YKS + EA). The duration of pain-related behaviors and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activation in the spinal cord after formalin injection in the right hind paw were determined. Results: The duration of pain-related behaviors was dramatically prolonged in the late phase (10–60 min) in the formalin group. The YKS treatment tended to reduce (p = 0.08), whereas YKS + EA significantly suppressed the pain-related behaviors (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses revealed that the number of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2)-positive cells and the pERK expression level, which were increased by formalin injection, were significantly inhibited by YKS (p < 0.05) and YKS + EA (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The YKS + EA combination therapy elicited an analgesic effect on formalin-induced acute inflammatory pain.
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Bell RF, Moreira VM, Kalso EA, Yli-Kauhaluoma J. Liquorice for pain? Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2021; 11:20451253211024873. [PMID: 34349979 PMCID: PMC8287643 DOI: 10.1177/20451253211024873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquorice has a long history of use in traditional Chinese, Ayurvedic and herbal medicine. The liquorice plant contains numerous bioactive compounds, including triterpenes, flavonoids and secondary metabolites, with glycyrrhizin being the main active compound. Liquorice constituents have been found to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective properties. In addition, they appear to have antidepressant actions and effects on morphine tolerance. Glycyrrhizin, its metabolite glycyrrhetic (glycyrrhetinic) acid and other liquorice-derived compounds such as isoflavonoids and trans-chalcones, exert potent anti-inflammatory effects via a wide range of mechanisms including high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) inhibition, gap junction blockade and α2A-adrenoceptor antagonism. These properties, together with an increasing body of preclinical studies and a long history of use in herbal medicine, suggest that liquorice constituents may be useful for pain management. Glycyrrhizin is used widely in the confectionary, food and tobacco industries, but has documented adverse effects that may limit clinical use. Whether liquorice plant-derived compounds represent a novel class of analgesics is yet to be established. Having a host of bioactive compounds with a broad range of mechanisms of effect, liquorice is a plant that, in the future, may give rise to new therapies for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rae F Bell
- (Emerita) Regional Centre of Excellence in Palliative Care, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 65, Bergen 5021, Norway
| | - Vânia M Moreira
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Eija A Kalso
- Department of Pharmacology and SleepWell Research Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jari Yli-Kauhaluoma
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Analgesic Efficacy of a Combination of Fentanyl and a Japanese Herbal Medicine " Yokukansan" in Rats with Acute Inflammatory Pain. MEDICINES 2020; 7:medicines7120075. [PMID: 33348580 PMCID: PMC7766210 DOI: 10.3390/medicines7120075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Background: Fentanyl can induce acute opioid tolerance and postoperative hyperalgesia when administered at a single high dose; thus, this study examined the analgesic efficacy of a combination of fentanyl and Yokukansan (YKS). Methods: Rats were divided into control, formalin-injected (FOR), YKS-treated+FOR (YKS), fentanyl-treated+FOR (FEN), and YKS+FEN+FOR (YKS+FEN) groups. Acute pain was induced via subcutaneous injection of formalin into the paw. The time engaged in pain-related behavior was measured. Results: In the early (0–10 min) and intermediate (10–20 min) phases, pain-related behavior in the YKS+FEN group was significantly inhibited compared with the FOR group. In the late phase (20–60 min), pain-related behavior in the FEN group was the longest and significantly increased compared with the YKS group. We explored the influence on the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in the spinal cord, and YKS suppressed the phosphorylated ERK expression, which may be related to the analgesic effect of YKS in the late phase. Conclusions: These findings suggest that YKS could reduce the use of fentanyl and combined use of YKS and fentanyl is considered clinically useful.
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Matsumoto T, Ikarashi Y, Takiyama M, Watanabe J, Setou M. Brain distribution of geissoschizine methyl ether in rats using mass spectrometry imaging analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7293. [PMID: 32350314 PMCID: PMC7190722 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63474-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Geissoschizine methyl ether (GM) is one of the main active ingredients responsible for ameliorating the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Kampo medicine yokukansan. GM is mainly metabolized into hydroxylated forms (HM-1/2). However, the brain distributions of GM and HM has not been reported in vivo. In this study, therefore, the plasma concentrations and brain distribution of these compounds were examined in vivo using rats injected intravenously with GM. Plasma concentrations were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis and brain distribution using mass spectrometry imaging analysis. Plasma GM and HM-1 concentrations decreased in the 4 h after injection, whereas the concentration of plasma HM-2 increased at 4 h. In the 0.25 h-brain, GM signals were diffusely observed throughout the brain, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, amygdala, cerebellum, and cerebral ventricle. HM signals were detected only in the ventricles of the brain at 4 h. These results suggest that plasma GM enters the brain and distributes in the parenchyma of various brain regions involved in BPSD, while plasma HM does not enter the brain parenchyma. This study is also the first to visually demonstrate the brain distribution of GM and its metabolite in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Matsumoto
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Yasushi Ikarashi
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Mikina Takiyama
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Junko Watanabe
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Setou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.,International Mass Imaging Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.,Department of Systems Molecular Anatomy, Institute for Medical Photonics Research, Preeminent Medical Photonics Education & Research Center, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
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Ahsan MZ, Khan FU, Zhao MJ, Wang YX. Synergistic interaction between butorphanol and dexmedetomidine in antinociception. Eur J Pharm Sci 2020; 149:105322. [PMID: 32289662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Opioid analgesics and the α2-adrenergic receptor (α2AR) agonists are found to produce synergistic antinociception when administered in combination. In this study interactions between butorphanol and dexmedetomidine were investigated in the thermal pain and autonomous locomotor activity. Butorphanol and dexmedetomidine were administered subcutaneously alone and in combination in a fixed-dose ratio (3:1) to assess the antinociceptive and sedative responses. Butorphanol produced antinociception in the hot-plate test via three major opioid receptor subtypes, i.e. MORs, KORs and DORs, while in the tail-immersion test the antinociception was produced by MORs and KORs, whereas dexmedetomidine exhibited antinociception by α2ARs in both tests. They exhibited dose- and time-dependent antinociception and inhibition of locomotor activity when administered alone, while their combination displayed enhanced therapeutic effects. Isobolographic analysis revealed that combined butorphanol and dexmedetomidine produced synergistic interactions in the hot-plate, tail-immersion and locomotor activity tests. Furthermore, the analgesic synergy was also approved to be modulated by MORs, KORs, DORs and α2ARs. Hence we concluded from this study that combined butorphanol and dexmedetomidine produced synergistic antinociception that may be helpful in facilitating clinical management of acute nociceptive pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zaeem Ahsan
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240 China.
| | - Farhan Ullah Khan
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240 China.
| | - Meng-Jing Zhao
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240 China.
| | - Yong-Xiang Wang
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240 China.
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Yokukansan Alleviates Cancer Pain by Suppressing Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in a Mouse Bone Metastasis Model. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 2019:2956920. [PMID: 31239855 PMCID: PMC6556276 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2956920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Bone cancer pain control is difficult because it includes various characteristics of pain such as nociceptic and neuropathic pain. In this study, we investigated the effect of yokukansan (YKS), one of the traditional Japanese herbal medicines, on cancer pain in mouse bone metastasis model. Oral administration of YKS significantly alleviated pain behavior measured by quantitative body weight bearing. Furthermore, the pain behavior was also significantly alleviated by intrathecal and intraperitoneal administration of matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 9 inhibitor, but not of MMP-2 inhibitor. MMP-9 expression was significantly elevated in the bone tissue on day 3 after carcinoma cell injection and in the ipsilateral spinal cord on day 7, which was suppressed by YKS administration. Taken together, these results suggest that YKS alleviates cancer pain via suppressing MMP-9 expression in bone metastasis model in mice.
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Ikarashi Y, Sekiguchi K, Mizoguchi K. Serotonin Receptor Binding Characteristics of Geissoschizine Methyl Ether, an Indole Alkaloid in Uncaria Hook. Curr Med Chem 2019; 25:1036-1045. [PMID: 28322152 PMCID: PMC5898036 DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170320114713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background: Geissoschizine methyl ether (GM) is one of the indole alkaloids in Uncaria hook, and an active ingredient of yokukansan (YKS) that improves behavioral and psychological symp-toms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with several types of dementia. The pharmacological action of GM has been related to various serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes. Objective: The aim of this article is to review the binding characteristics of GM to the 5-HT receptor sub-types in the brains using our own data and previous findings. Methods: Competitive receptor-binding and agonist/antagonist activity assays for several 5-HT receptor subtypes were performed. Moreover, the articles describing pharmacokinetics and brain distribution of GM were searched in PubMed. Results: GM bound the following 5-HT receptor subtypes: 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, 5-HT4, 5-HT5A, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7. Among these receptors, GM had partial agonistic activity for 5-HT1A receptors and antagonistic activity for 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT7 receptors. Also, GM was me-tabolized by various CYP isoforms, mainly CYP3A4. Parent/unchanged GM was detected in both the blood and brain of rats after oral administration of YKS. In the brains, GM was presumed to bind to 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT7 receptors on neuron-like large cells mainly in the frontal cor-tex. Conclusion: These results suggest that GM is a pharmacologically important alkaloid that regulates vari-ous serotonergic activities or functions by binding to multiple 5-HT receptor subtypes. Thus, this review provides recent 5-HT receptor-related evidence that GM is partly responsible for pharmacological effects of YKS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Ikarashi
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Kyoji Sekiguchi
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Kazushige Mizoguchi
- Tsumura Kampo Research Laboratories, Kampo Research & Development Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
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Huh E, Choi JG, Sim Y, Oh MS. An Integrative Approach to Treat Parkinson's Disease: Ukgansan Complements L-Dopa by Ameliorating Dopaminergic Neuronal Damage and L-Dopa-Induced Dyskinesia in Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 10:431. [PMID: 30666195 PMCID: PMC6330324 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is accompanied by motor impairments due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway. Levodopa (L-dopa) has been the gold standard therapy for PD since the 1960s; however, its neurotoxic features accelerate PD progression through auto-oxidation or the induction of dyskinetic movements. Ukgansan (UGS) is a well-known prescription for treating PD in traditional medicines of East Asia, and its anti-PD function has been experimentally evaluated. The present study investigated whether UGS attenuates (1) motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal damage when co-treated with L-dopa and (2) L-dopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD mice. Although L-dopa was found to reduce motor dysfunctions, it failed to decrease the dopaminergic neuronal damage and increased the expression of dopamine receptor 1 (D1R) and 2 (D2R) in the 6-OHDA-injected mouse striatum. Co-treatment with UGS resulted in normal striatal histology and ameliorated motor impairments. In addition, UGS suppressed the dyskinesia induced by chronic L-dopa treatment while restoring the dopaminergic neurons in the striatum. For the underlying mechanism, UGS reduced the overexpression of D1R-related signaling proteins, such as phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, ΔFosB, and c-fos in the striatum. Overall, the results suggest that the effect of UGS could be complementary to L-dopa by ameliorating motor dysfunction, restoring the dopaminergic neurons, and suppressing the dyskinetic movements in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Huh
- Department of Medical Science of Meridian, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin Gyu Choi
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.,BK21 PLUS Integrated Education and Research Center for Nature-inspired Drug Development Targeting Healthy Aging, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yeomoon Sim
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Myung Sook Oh
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
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Nakamura Y, Ishida Y, Kondo M, Shimada S. Yokukansan contains compounds that antagonize the 5-HT 3 receptor. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2018; 43:120-125. [PMID: 29747744 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2018.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We recently focused on alkaloids in Uncaria hook (a constituent of the Kampo medicine, yokukansan) and identified the pharmacological action of geissoschizine methyl ether on several G protein-coupled receptors. However, the functions of other identified alkaloids in Uncaria hook, including hirsutine, hirsuteine, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, corynoxeine, isocorynoxeine, are not clear. PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of seven alkaloids in Uncaria hook (hirsutine, hirsuteine, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, corynoxeine, isocorynoxeine and geissoschizine methyl ether) on the hydroxytryptamine type-3 (5-HT3) receptor ion channel. STUDY DESIGN We examined the effect of these alkaloids on the current of human 5-HT3 receptors expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. METHODS The human 5-HT3A subunit alone for the 5-HT3A receptor, or 5-HT3A and 5-HT3B subunits for the 5-HT3AB receptor, were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The 5-HT current was measured with or without alkaloid application using a two-electrode voltage clamp. RESULTS Each alkaloid, except for geissoschizine methyl ether, weakly inhibited the 5-HT-mediated 5-HT3A and/or 5-HT3AB receptor current, but co-application of these seven alkaloids inhibited the current strongly. CONCLUSION Each alkaloid contributes to antagonism of the 5-HT3 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Nakamura
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Yusuke Ishida
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Makoto Kondo
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shoichi Shimada
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Katayama A, Kanada Y, Tsukada M, Akanuma Y, Takemura H, Ono T, Suga H, Mera H, Hisamitsu T, Sunagawa M. Yokukansan (Kampo medicinal formula) prevents the development of morphine tolerance by inhibiting the secretion of orexin A. Integr Med Res 2018; 7:141-148. [PMID: 29989049 PMCID: PMC6035380 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2018.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Yokukansan (YKS), a traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine consisting of seven herbs, is effective in the treatment of pain disorders, such as headache, postherpetic neuralgia, fibromyalgia, and trigeminal neuralgia, and we have previously shown it to be effective against morphine analgesic tolerance in rats. It has been reported that orexin receptor antagonists prevent the development of morphine tolerance and that YKS inhibits the secretion of orexin A in the hypothalamus. This study examined whether the inhibition of the secretion of orexin A by YKS is one mechanism underlying its effect against morphine analgesic tolerance. Methods Male Wistar rats were administered a subcutaneous injection of morphine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg/day) for 5 days. One group was preadministered YKS, starting 3 days before the morphine. The withdrawal latency following thermal stimulation was measured daily using a hot plate test. On day 5, the levels of orexin A in the plasma and the midbrain were measured, and the appearance of activated astrocytes in the midbrain was examined by immunofluorescence staining. Results The preadministration of YKS prevented the development of morphine tolerance. The repeated administration of morphine significantly increased the plasma and midbrain levels of orexin A and the activation of astrocytes. These increases were significantly inhibited by the preadministration of YKS. Conclusion These results suggest that the preadministration of YKS attenuated the development of antinociceptive morphine tolerance and that the inhibition of orexin A secretion may be one mechanism underlying this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayami Katayama
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuaki Kanada
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mana Tsukada
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Akanuma
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruka Takemura
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ono
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Suga
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Corporation Ebara Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Mera
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Corporation Ebara Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadashi Hisamitsu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masataka Sunagawa
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
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Yaoita F, Muto M, Murakami H, Endo S, Kozawa M, Tsuchiya M, Tadano T, Tan-No K. Involvement of peripheral alpha2A adrenoceptor in the acceleration of gastrointestinal transit and abdominal visceral pain induced by intermittent deprivation of REM sleep. Physiol Behav 2018; 186:52-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Mizoguchi K, Ikarashi Y. Multiple Psychopharmacological Effects of the Traditional Japanese Kampo Medicine Yokukansan, and the Brain Regions it Affects. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:149. [PMID: 28377723 PMCID: PMC5359390 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Yokukansan (YKS), a traditional Japanese Kampo medicine, has indications for use in night crying and irritability in children, as well as neurosis and insomnia. It is currently also used for the remedy of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as aggressiveness, agitation, and hallucinations. In parallel with clinical evidence, a significant amount of fundamental researches have been undertaken to clarify the neuropsychopharmacological efficacies of YKS, with approximately 70 articles, including our own, being published to date. Recently, we reviewed the neuropharmacological mechanisms of YKS, including its effects on glutamatergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic neurotransmission, and pharmacokinetics of the ingredients responsible for the effects. This review is aimed to integrate the information regarding the psychopharmacological effects of YKS with the brain regions known to be affected, to facilitate our understanding of the clinical efficacy of YKS. In this review, we first show that YKS has several effects that act to improve symptoms that are similar to BPSDs, like aggressiveness, hallucinations, anxiety, and sleep disturbance, as well as symptoms like tardive dyskinesia and cognitive deficits. We next provide the evidence showing that YKS can interact with various brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and spinal cord, dysfunctions of which are related to psychiatric symptoms, cognitive deficits, abnormal behaviors, and dysesthesia. In addition, the major active ingredients of YKS, geissoschizine methyl ether and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, are shown to predominantly bind to the frontal cortex and hippocampus, respectively. Our findings suggest that YKS has multiple psychopharmacological effects, and that these are probably mediated by interactions among several brain regions. In this review, we summarize the available information about the valuable effects of a multicomponent medicine YKS on complex neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazushige Mizoguchi
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki Japan
| | - Yasushi Ikarashi
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki Japan
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Wang YX, Mao XF, Li TF, Gong N, Zhang MZ. Dezocine exhibits antihypersensitivity activities in neuropathy through spinal μ-opioid receptor activation and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43137. [PMID: 28230181 PMCID: PMC5322378 DOI: 10.1038/srep43137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Dezocine is the number one opioid painkiller prescribed and sold in China, occupying 44% of the nation’s opioid analgesics market today and far ahead of the gold-standard morphine. We discovered the mechanisms underlying dezocine antihypersensitivity activity and assessed their implications to antihypersensitivity tolerance. Dezocine, given subcutaneously in spinal nerve-ligated neuropathic rats, time- and dose-dependently produced mechanical antiallodynia and thermal antihyperalgesia, significantly increased ipsilateral spinal norepinephrine and serotonin levels, and induced less antiallodynic tolerance than morphine. Its mechanical antiallodynia was partially (40% or 60%) and completely (100%) attenuated by spinal μ-opioid receptor (MOR) antagonism or norepinephrine depletion/α2-adrenoceptor antagonism and combined antagonism of MORs and α2-adenoceptors, respectively. In contrast, antagonism of spinal κ-opioid receptors (KORs) and δ-opioid receptors (DORs) or depletion of spinal serotonin did not significantly alter dezocine antiallodynia. In addition, dezocine-delayed antiallodynic tolerance was accelerated by spinal norepinephrine depletion/α2-adenoceptor antagonism. Thus dezocine produces antihypersensitivity activity through spinal MOR activation and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition (NRI), but apparently not through spinal KOR and DOR activation, serotonin reuptake inhibition or other mechanisms. Our findings reclassify dezocine as the first analgesic of the recently proposed MOR-NRI, and reveal its potential as an alternative to as well as concurrent use with morphine in treating pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Xiang Wang
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiao-Fang Mao
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Teng-Fei Li
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Nian Gong
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ma-Zhong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1678 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China
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Huang Q, Sun ML, Chen Y, Li XY, Wang YX. Concurrent bullatine A enhances morphine antinociception and inhibits morphine antinociceptive tolerance by indirect activation of spinal κ-opioid receptors. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2017; 196:151-159. [PMID: 27989510 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Bullatine A, a C20-diterpenoid alkaloid and one of the major effective ingredients in Aconiti brachypodi Radix (Xue-shang-yi-zhi-hao), can block pain hypersensitivity in a variety of rodent models through expression of spinal microglial dynorphin A. AIM OF THE STUDY To assess the interaction between bullatine A and morphine on antinociception in acute nociception and pain hypersensitivity states, with the exogenous synthetic dynorphin A as a comparison MATERIALS AND METHODS: Spinal nerve ligation-induced neuropathic rats and naïve mice were used for assessing the acute and chronic interactions of bullatine A/dynorphin A with morphine. RESULTS Single subcutaneous injection of bullatine A or dynorphin A(1-17) did not either alter formalin- and thermally (hot-plate and water immersion tests)-induced acute nociception or potentiate morphine antinociception in naïve mice. In contrast, bullatine A dose-dependently inhibited formalin-induced tonic pain with the efficacy of 54% inhibition and the half-effective dose of 0.9mg/kg. Concurrent bullatine A additively enhanced morphine antinociception. In neuropathic rats, the antinociceptive effects of multiple bidaily intrathecal injections of bullatine A and dynorphin A remained consistent over 13 days, whereas morphine produced progressive and complete tolerance to antinociception, which was completely inhibited by concurrent bullatine A and dynorphin A. A single intrathecal injection of bullatine A and dynorphin A immediately reversed established morphine tolerance in neuropathic rats, although the blockade was a less degree in the thermally induced mouse acute nociceptive tests. The inhibitory effects of bullatine A and dynorphin A on morphine tolerance were immediately and completely attenuated by intrathecal dynorphin A antibody and/or selective κ-opioid receptor antagonist GNTI. CONCLUSION These results suggest that bullatine A produces antinociception without induction of tolerance and inhibits morphine antinociceptive tolerance, and provide pharmacological basis for concurrent bullatine A and morphine treatment for chronic pain and morphine analgesic tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Huang
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ming-Li Sun
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xin-Yan Li
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Wang
- King's Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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Ikarashi Y, Mizoguchi K. Neuropharmacological efficacy of the traditional Japanese Kampo medicine yokukansan and its active ingredients. Pharmacol Ther 2016; 166:84-95. [PMID: 27373856 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with cognitive dysfunction, and is often complicated by behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) including excitement, aggression, and hallucinations. Typical and atypical antipsychotics are used for the treatment of BPSD, but induce adverse events. The traditional Japanese Kampo medicine yokukansan (YKS), which had been originated from the traditional Chinese medicine Yi-Gan-San, has been reported to improve BPSD without severe adverse effects. In the preclinical basic studies, there are over 70 research articles indicating the neuropharmacological efficacies of YKS. In this review, we first describe the neuropharmacological actions of YKS and its bioactive ingredients. Multiple potential actions for YKS were identified, which include effects on serotonergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, adrenergic, and GABAergic neurotransmissions as well as neuroprotection, anti-stress effect, promotion of neuroplasticity, and anti-inflammatory effect. Geissoschizine methyl ether (GM) in Uncaria hook and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) in Glycyrrhiza were responsible for several pharmacological actions of YKS. Subsequently, we describe the pharmacokinetics of GM and GA in rats. These ingredients were absorbed into the blood, crossed the blood-brain barrier, and reached the brain, in rats orally administered YKS. Moreover, autoradiography showed that [(3)H]GM predominantly distributed in the frontal cortex and [(3)H]GA in the hippocampus. Thus, YKS is a versatile herbal remedy with a variety of neuropharmacological effects, and may operate as a multicomponent drug including various active ingredients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Ikarashi
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan.
| | - Kazushige Mizoguchi
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan.
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Yokukansan, a Kampo medicine, prevents the development of morphine tolerance through the inhibition of spinal glial cell activation in rats. Integr Med Res 2015; 5:41-47. [PMID: 28462096 PMCID: PMC5381433 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal models have shown that glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) in the spinal cord undergo activation following peripheral injury associated with chronic pain, suggesting the involvement of these cells in pain diseases. We have previously reported that Yokukansan (YKS), a Japanese traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine, is effective against chronic pain through the suppression of spinal glial cell activation. Morphine is a widely-used opioid analgesic for relieving severe pain, but its repeated administration leads to the development of antinociceptive tolerance. The development of morphine tolerance is also reported to be caused by spinal glial cells activation. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of YKS on the development of morphine tolerance and the activation of the spinal microglia and astrocytes using a rat model. METHODS Male Wistar rats received a subcutaneous injection of morphine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg/d) for 7 days, and the withdrawal latency to thermal stimulation was measured daily using a hot plate test. Thereafter, the appearance of activated microglia and astrocyte in the spinal cord (L5) was examined by immunofluorescence staining. Ionized calcium binding adapter molecule-1 (Iba-1) staining was used to label microglia and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining was performed to label astrocytes. YKS was administered mixed with powdered rodent chow at a concentration of 3%. RESULTS The preadministration of YKS (started 3 d before the morphine injection) prevented the development of morphine tolerance. The repeated administration of morphine increased Iba-1 and GFAP immune reactivities in the spinal cord; however, these activations were inhibited by the preadministration of YKS. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the preadministration of YKS attenuates the development of antinociceptive morphine tolerance, and the suppression of spinal glial cell activation may be one mechanism underlying this phenomenon.
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Hosseinzadeh H, Nassiri-Asl M. Pharmacological Effects of Glycyrrhiza spp. and Its Bioactive Constituents: Update and Review. Phytother Res 2015; 29:1868-86. [PMID: 26462981 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The roots and rhizomes of various species of the perennial herb licorice (Glycyrrhiza) are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. In experimental and clinical studies, licorice has been shown to have several pharmacological properties including antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidative, antidiabetic, antiasthma, and anticancer activities as well as immunomodulatory, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects. In recent years, several of the biochemical, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of licorice and its active components have also been demonstrated in experimental studies. In this review, we summarized the new phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological data from recent experimental and clinical studies of licorice and its bioactive constituents after our previous published review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Hosseinzadeh
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Marjan Nassiri-Asl
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 341197-5981, Qazvin, Iran
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Yokukansan Improves Mechanical Allodynia through the Regulation of Interleukin-6 Expression in the Spinal Cord in Mice with Neuropathic Pain. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2015; 2015:870687. [PMID: 25866544 PMCID: PMC4381658 DOI: 10.1155/2015/870687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is caused by nerve injury. Yokukansan (Yi-Gan San), a traditional Japanese (Kampo) medicine, has been widely used for neuropathic pain control. However, the analgesic mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the analgesic mechanisms of yokukansan in a mouse model of neuropathic pain. Partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) induced mechanical allodynia in mice. Repetitive oral administration of the extracts of yokukansan and the constituent herbal medicine Atractylodis Lanceae Rhizoma, but not Glycyrrhizae Radix, relieved mechanical allodynia in the PSL mice and inhibited the PSL-induced expression of interleukin- (IL-) 6 mRNA in the spinal cord. Yokukansan did not attenuate intrathecal IL-6-induced mechanical allodynia. IL-6 immunoreactivity was detected in microglia and astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn. These results suggest that yokukansan relieves mechanical allodynia in PSL mice by regulating the expression of IL-6 in astrocytes and/or microglia in the spinal cord. In addition, the components of Atractylodis Lanceae Rhizoma, one of the constituent herbal medicines in yokukansan, may play an important role in the regulation of IL-6 expression and neuropathic pain control.
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Mizoguchi K, Kushida H, Kanno H, Igarashi Y, Nishimura H, Ikarashi Y, Kase Y. Specific binding and characteristics of geissoschizine methyl ether, an indole alkaloid of Uncaria Hook, in the rat brain. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 158 Pt A:264-270. [PMID: 25456433 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Geissoschizine methyl ether (GM) is an indole alkaloid that is a component of Uncaria Hook, and has been identified as the active component responsible for the anti-aggressive effects of the Uncaria Hook-containing traditional Japanese medicine, yokukansan. Recently, GM was shown to reach the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier in rats following the oral administration of yokukansan. This finding suggested that there may be specific binding sites for GM in the brain. Here we show evidence that tritium-labeled GM ([(3)H]GM) binds specifically to several brain areas of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male rats were used. [(3)H]GM was synthesized from a demethylated derivative of GM. Specific binding sites of [(3)H]GM on brain sections were determined by quantitative autoradiography, and maximum binding densities (Bmax) and dissociation constants (Kd) were calculated. Several chemical compounds were used to clarify the molecules that recognize [(3)H]GM in the completion-binding assay. Emulsion microautoradiography was also performed to identify the cells that bind [(3)H]GM. RESULTS Specific binding of [(3)H]GM was observed in the frontal cortex, including the prefrontal cortical region (e.g., prelimbic cortex (PrL)), hippocampus, caudate putamen, amygdala, central medial thalamic nucleus, dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), and cerebellum. Bmax ranged between 0.65 and 8.79pmol/mg tissue, and Kd was between 35.0 and 232.6nM. Specific binding with relatively high affinity (Kd less than 62nM) was dense in the frontal cortical region, moderate in the DR, and sparse in the cerebellum. The specific binding of [(3)H]GM in the PrL was significantly replaced by the serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (DPAT), 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin, 5-HT2B receptor agonist BW 723C86, 5-HT2C receptor agonist RO60-0175, adrenergic α2A receptor antagonist yohimbine, L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker verapamil, and μ-opioid receptor antagonist naloxone. Similar results were obtained in the frontal cortex and DR, but not in the cerebellum. Microautoradiography revealed that [(3)H]GM signals were distributed throughout the frontal cortex, which included neuron-like large cells. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that specific binding sites for GM exist in rat brain tissue, and suggest that the pharmacological actions of GM are mainly associated with 5-HT receptors in the frontal cortex and DR. These results provide an insight into the neuropharmacology of GM and GM-containing herbal medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazushige Mizoguchi
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Kushida
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Hitomi Kanno
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Yasushi Igarashi
- Kampo Formulation Development Center, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Nishimura
- Kampo Formulation Development Center, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Yasushi Ikarashi
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Yoshio Kase
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Kampo Scientific Strategies Division, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
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Muneoka K, Kuwagata M, Ogawa T, Shioda S. Mother/offspring co-administration of the traditional herbal remedy yokukansan during the nursing period influences grooming and cerebellar serotonin levels in a rat model of neurodevelopmental disorders. THE CEREBELLUM 2014; 14:86-96. [PMID: 25315739 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-014-0611-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental impairment in the serotonergic system may be involved in autism spectrum disorder. Yokukansan is a traditional herbal remedy for restlessness and agitation in children, and mother-infant co-administration (MICA) to both the child and the nursing mother is one of the recommended treatment approaches. Recent studies have revealed the neuropharmacological properties of Yokukansan (YKS), including its 5-HT1A (serotonin) receptor agonistic effects. We investigated the influence of YKS treatment on behavior in a novel environment and on brain monoamine metabolism during the nursing period in an animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders, prenatally BrdU (5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine)-treated rats (BrdU-rats). YKS treatment did not influence locomotor activity in BrdU-rats but reduced grooming in open-field tests. YKS treatment without MICA disrupted the correlation between locomotor behaviors and rearing and altered levels of serotonin and its metabolite in the cerebellum. These effects were not observed in the group receiving YKS treatment with MICA. These data indicate a direct pharmacological effect of YKS on the development of grooming behavior and profound effects on cerebellar serotonin metabolism, which is thought to be influenced by nursing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsumasa Muneoka
- Department of Anatomy I, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa, Tokyo, 142-8555, Japan,
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26
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-fifth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2012 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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