Network Pharmacological Analysis and Experimental Validation of the Effect of Smilacis Glabrae Rhixoma on Gastrointestinal Motility Disorder

Gastrointestinal motility disorder (GMD) is a disease that causes digestive problems due to inhibition of the movement of the gastrointestinal tract and is one of the diseases that reduce the quality of life of modern people. Smilacis Glabrae Rhixoma (SGR) is a traditional herbal medicine for many diseases and is sometimes prescribed to improve digestion. As a network pharmacological approach, we searched the TCMSP database for SGR, reviewed its constituents and target genes, and analyzed its relevance to gastrointestinal motility disorder. The effects of the SGR extract on the pacemaker activity in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and gastric emptying were investigated. In addition, using the GMD mouse model through acetic acid (AA), we investigated the locomotor effect of SGR on the intestinal transit rate (ITR). As a result of network pharmacology analysis, 56 compounds out of 74 candidate compounds of SGR have targets, the number of targets is 390 targets, and there are 904 combinations. Seventeen compounds of SGR were related to GMD, and as a result of comparing the related genes with the GMD-related genes, 17 genes (active only) corresponded to both. When looking at the relationship network between GMD and SGR, it was confirmed that quercetin, resveratrol, SCN5A, TNF, and FOS were most closely related to GMD. In addition, the SGR extract regulated the pacemaker activity in ICC and recovered the delayed gastric emptying. As a result of feeding the SGR extract to AA-induced GMD mice, it was confirmed that the ITR decreased by AA was restored by the SGR extract. Through network pharmacology, it was confirmed that quercetin, resveratrol, SCN5A, TNF, and FOS were related to GMD in SGR, and these were closely related to intestinal motility. Based on these results, it is suggested that SGR in GMD restores digestion through the recovery of intestinal motility.

Salvia miltiorrhiza induces depolarization of pacemaker potentials in murine small intestinal interstitial cells of Cajal via extracellular Ca2+ and Na+ influx

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemaker cells that control smooth muscle contraction in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The present study investigated the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) on the pacemaker potentials of ICCs from the mouse small intestine in vitro and on GI motility in vivo. The whole‑cell patch‑clamp configuration was used to record pacemaker potential in ICCs in vitro, and GI motility was investigated in vivo by recording intestinal transit rate (ITR). Using the whole‑cell patch‑clamp configuration, SM depolarized the pacemaker potentials of ICCs in a dose‑dependent manner. Fulvestrant blocked SM‑induced effects but 1,3‑dihydro‑3,3‑bis(4‑hydroxyphenyl)-7-methyl‑2H‑indol‑2‑one did not. Additionally, 4‑[2‑phenyl-5,7‑bis(trifluoromethyl) pyrazolo[1,5‑a]pyrimidin‑3‑yl] phenol blocked SM‑induced effects. Intracellular guanosine 5'‑O‑(2‑thiodiphosphate), and pretreatment with extracellular Ca²⁺‑ and Na⁺‑free solutions also blocked SM‑induced effects. Furthermore, ITR values were increased by SM in vivo and SM elevated the levels of motilin (MTL). The SM‑induced increase in ITR was associated with increased protein expression levels of c‑kit and the transmembrane protein 16A (TMEM16A) channel. In addition, SM induced pacemaker potential depolarization through estrogen receptor β in a G protein‑dependent manner via extracellular Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ regulation in the murine small intestine in vitro. Moreover, SM increased the ITR in vivo through the MTL hormone via c‑kit and TMEM16A‑dependent pathways. Taken together, these results suggested that SM may have the ability to control GI motility and could be used as a GI motility regulator.

Effects of Chaihu-Shugan-San on Small Intestinal Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Mice

Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) has been widely used as an alternative treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in East Asia. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemakers in the GI tract. In the present study, we examined the action of CSS on pacemaker potentials in cultured ICCs from the mouse small intestine in vitro and on GI motility in vivo. We used the electrophysiological methods to measure the pacemaker potentials in ICCs. GI motility was investigated by measuring intestinal transit rates (ITR). CSS inhibited the pacemaker potentials in a dose-dependent manner. The capsazepine did not block the effect of CSS. However, the effects of CSS were blocked by glibenclamide. In addition, N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) also blocked the CSS-induced effects. Pretreatment with SQ-22536 or with KT-5720 did not suppress the effects of CSS; however, pretreatment with ODQ or KT-5823 did. Furthermore, CSS significantly suppressed murine ITR enhancement by neostigmine in vivo. These results suggest that CSS exerts inhibitory effects on the pacemaker potentials of ICCs via nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP and ATP-sensitive K⁺ channel dependent and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel independent pathways. Accordingly, CSS could provide the basis for the development of new treatments for GI motility dysfunction.