Abstract:

Objective To observe the effect of Rhizoma atractylodis extract on the gastrointestinal motility and immune function of the rats with experimental spleen deficiency syndrome,and to elucidate the mechanism of Rhizome atractylodis extract on regulating the gastrointestinal dynamic and immune function.Methods 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,low,medium and high doses of Rhizome atractylodis extract groups,domperidone group;there were 10 rats in each group.Except for normal group,the rats in other groups were fed with Xiaochengqi Decoction plus hunger to establish the spleen deficiency syndrome models.After the model establishing,the rats in low,medium and high doses of Rhizome atractylodis extract groups were gavaged with 0.5,1.0,2.0 g·mL^-1 Rhizome atraetylodis extract,respectively; the rats in domperidone group were gavaged with the domperidone suspension solution, and the rats in normal group and model group were gavaged with physiological saline.Charcoal gavage method was used to determine the ratio of stomach retention and the rate of small intestinal propulsion of the rats;intestinal perfusion method was used to detect the levels of IgA in intestinal perfusion liquid of the rats; the method of drawing blood from abdominal aorta was used to detect the levels of IgG in serum and motilin(MTL),substance P(SP),somatostatin(SS) in plasma of the rats;immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) in duodenum,jejunum and ileum tissues.Results Compared with model group,the levels of IgA in the intestinal perfusion fluid and IgG in the serum of the rats in low,medium and high doses of Rhizome atractylodis extract groups and domperidone group were increased;the rates of stomach retention of the rats were decreased obviously,and the ratios of small intestinal propulsion of the rats were increased significantly,while the levels of MTL,SP, and SS in the plasma of the rats were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with low dose of Rhizome atractylodis extract group,the levels of IgA in the intestinal perfusion liquid and IgG in the serum of the rats in medium and high doses of Rhizome atractylodis extract groups were increased;the rates of stomach retention of the rats were decreased and the ratios of small intestinal propulsion of the rats were increased,while the levels of MTL,SP,and SS in the plasma of the rats were increased,and the levels of TLR4 in the duodenum,jejunum and ileum tissues were increased (P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Rhizome atractylodis extract can improve the gastrointestinal motility and the immune function of the rats with experimental spleen deficiency syndrome,and has better regulation and treatment effects on the functional gastrointestinal disorders and low state of systemic and local immune function.

Key words: Rhizome atractylodis extract, spleen deficiency syndrome, gastrointestinal function, mucosal immunity