Research on mechanism of the effect of charred hawthorn on digestive by SCF /c-kit pathway

Abstract

Background Hawthorn is the dry ripe fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge in rose family which is a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) for High-calorie-diet-induced dyspepsia (HC-DID). This study aimed to investigate whether the charred hawthorn coupled with its odor could alleviate HC-DID by brain-gut interaction and stem cell factor(SCF) /c-kit pathway. Methods Rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: control group, model group, cisapride group, hawthorn group (HT), charred hawthorn group (CHT), odor of charred hawthorn (OCHT), CHT + OCHT group. HC-DID rat model was established by high calorie diet for 10 days, hawthorn decoction was administered by gavage, and the self-developed solid drug odor delivery device was used for odor administration. The body weight, food intake, gastrointestinal motility, gastric fluid and gastric acid flow index were determined. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of rats. Electrophysiology was used to evaluate the effect of hawthorn combined with its charred odor therapy on electroencephalogram and Electrogastrogram. The SCF and c-kit levels or expressions by immunohistochemistry(IHC), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results We found that the odor of charred hawthorn (OCHT) affects the brain (central nervous system) of rats, and hawthorn decoction (raw hawthorn and charred hawthorn) coupled with the odor of charred hawthorn alleviated the symptoms of diet-induced dyspepsia in rats by modulating SCF/c-Kit pathway. Conclusion Thus, we concluded that odor of charred hawthorn has therapeutic effect on dyspepsia and hawthorn may alleviate dyspepsia related symptoms by affecting SCF/c-Kit signal pathway.