Osthole inhibits histamine-dependent itch via modulating TRPV1 activity

Sci Rep. 2016 May 10:6:25657. doi: 10.1038/srep25657.

Abstract

Osthole, an active coumarin isolated from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, has long been used in China as an antipruritic herbal medicine; however, the antipruitic mechanism of osthole is unknown. We studied the molecular mechanism of osthole in histamine-dependent itch by behavioral test, Ca(2+) imaging, and electrophysiological experiments. First, osthole clearly remitted the scratching behaviors of mice induced with histamine, HTMT, and VUF8430. Second, in cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, osthole showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect to histamine. On the same neurons, osthole also decreased the response to capsaicin and histamine. In further tests, the capsaicin-induced inward currents were inhibited by osthole. These results revealed that osthole inhibited histamine-dependent itch by modulating TRPV1 activity. This study will be helpful in understanding how osthole exerts anti-pruritus effects and suggests that osthole may be a useful treatment medicine for histamine-dependent itch.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antipruritics / pharmacology
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Capsaicin / pharmacology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coumarins / pharmacology*
  • Ganglia, Spinal / cytology
  • Histamine
  • Ion Channel Gating / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Pruritus / chemically induced
  • Pruritus / metabolism
  • Pruritus / prevention & control*
  • TRPV Cation Channels / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antipruritics
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Coumarins
  • TRPV Cation Channels
  • TRPV1 protein, mouse
  • Histamine
  • Capsaicin
  • Calcium
  • osthol