The kampo medicine Daikenchuto inhibits peritoneal fibrosis in mice

Biol Pharm Bull. 2015;38(2):193-200. doi: 10.1248/bpb.b14-00469.

Abstract

Long-term peritoneal dialysis therapy causes inflammation and histological changes in the peritoneal membrane. Inflammation generally activates fibroblasts and results in fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation. Heat-shock protein 47 (HSP 47), a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, is localized in myofibroblasts and is involved in the progression of peritoneal fibrosis. Daikenchuto (DKT), a Kampo medicine, is used to prevent postoperative colon adhesion. It inhibits inflammation and HSP 47 expression in the gastrointestinal tract. We examined the effect of DKT on chlorhexidine gluconate (CG)-induced peritoneal fibrosis in mice injected with 0.1% CG dissolved in 15% ethanol. DKT was dissolved in the drinking water. Histological changes were assessed using Masson trichrome staining. Cells expressing α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), HSP 47, phospho-Smad 2/3, F4/80, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 were examined immunohistochemically. Compared with the control group, the peritoneal tissues of the CG group were markedly thickened, and the number of cells expressing α-SMA, HSP 47, phospho-Smad 2/3, F4/80, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was significantly increased. However, these changes were inhibited in the DKT-treated group. These results indicate that DKT can prevent peritoneal fibrosis by inhibiting inflammation and HSP 47 expression.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Differentiation / metabolism
  • Chemokine CCL2 / metabolism
  • Chlorhexidine / analogs & derivatives
  • HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Medicine, Kampo
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Panax
  • Peritoneal Fibrosis / chemically induced
  • Peritoneal Fibrosis / drug therapy*
  • Peritoneal Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Peritoneal Fibrosis / pathology
  • Peritoneum / drug effects
  • Peritoneum / metabolism
  • Peritoneum / pathology
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Smad2 Protein / metabolism
  • Smad3 Protein / metabolism
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
  • Zanthoxylum
  • Zingiberaceae

Substances

  • Acta2 protein, mouse
  • Actins
  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • Ccl2 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Plant Extracts
  • Serpinh1 protein, mouse
  • Smad2 Protein
  • Smad2 protein, mouse
  • Smad3 Protein
  • Smad3 protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • dai-kenchu-to
  • monocyte-macrophage differentiation antigen
  • chlorhexidine gluconate
  • Chlorhexidine