Ameliorative Effects of Humulus japonicus Extract and Polysaccharide-Rich Extract of Phragmites rhizoma in Rats with Gastrointestinal Dysfunctions Induced by Water Avoidance Stress

Abstract

Chronic stress can cause the gastrointestinal disorders characterized by an altered bowel movement and abdominal pain. Studies have shown that Humulus japonicus extract (HJE) has anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal effects, and Phragmites rhizoma extract (PEP) has antioxidative and antistress effects. The present study aimed to investigate the possible effects of HJE and PEP in rat models with stress-induced gastrointestinal dysfunctions. The rats were exposed to water avoidance stress (WAS, 1 h/day) for 10 days to induce gastrointestinal disorders. We found that WAS significantly increased fecal pellet output during 1 h stress, gastric emptying, colonic contractility, and permeability compared to the normal rats. Pretreatment with HJE and PEP (0.25 and 0.5 mL/kg, both administered separately) improved the increased gastric emptying and colonic contractility induced by electrical field stimulation, acetylcholine, and serotonin and also alleviated the increased colonic permeability. HJE and PEP also increased the claudin-1 and occludin expressions, reduced by WAS. WAS increased the concentration of TNF-α and TBARS and reduced FRAP. HJE and PEP recovered these effects. HJE and PEP improved the gastrointestinal disorders induced by WAS by upregulating the tight junction protein, possibly acting on cholinergic and serotonergic receptors to abolish the colonic hypercontractility and hyperpermeability and degradation of inflammatory cytokines via an antioxidant effect.

Enteric glial cells contribute to chronic stress-induced alterations in the intestinal microbiota and barrier in rats

“…Here, the protein levels of Occludin, and Claudin1 in the colon were significantly decreased in rats with WAS compared to those in the control group, suggesting that WAS affected mucosal barrier integrity and led to intestinal barrier dysfunction. These results are consistent with previous reports that psychological stress generally increases intestinal permeability, regardless of the type of stress, such as communication box-induced stress or restraint stress [ 42 , 43 ]. PCNA is an intranuclear protein that assists DNase.…”

Research progress in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with natural polysaccharides and related structure–activity relationships

“…Injured mice treated with squid ink polysaccharide (OBP) exhibit significantly enhanced mRNA expression of occludin, ZO-1 and ZO-2 tight junction proteins after immunohistochemical staining; 99 Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) also exhibits significantly elevated jejunal ZO-1 and claudin-1 protein expression; 100 Humulus japonicus extract (HJE) increases TJs in the colon. 113 These experiments corroborate that natural polysaccharides can upregulate the expression of tight junction proteins, reverse the increased intestinal permeability brought about by disease, and protect the integrity of the intestinal barrier.…”

Application potential of Humulus Scandens in livestock husbandry

“…Hao et al (2022) demonstrated that feeding weaned piglets with 2% HS‐containing diet increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, Ruminococcaceae, Enterococcus and Pseudomonas in cecum content. Thein et al (2022) investigated the effects of HS extract‐containing additives in stress‐induced gastrointestinal dysfunctions rat models. They observed that the supplementation of additive alleviated the increase of colonic permeability and the concentration of intestinal tumour necrosis factor‐α and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, as well as the reduction of intestinal claudin‐1 and occludin expressions induced by stress.…”