Abstract:

Objective To explore the protective effects of puerarin on the colon tissue of the mice wi
th chronic alcoholism through observing the changes of quantity and morphology of
interstitial cells of Cajal （ICC）  and the expression of c-kit protein in
colon tissue of chronic alcoholism mice.Methods 24 healthy BALB/C mice were randomly divided into saline control group (SC group),chronic alcohol
ic intoxication group(CAI group) and puerarin pretreatment group(PUE group).
The models of chronic alcoholism mice were established in CAI group and PUE group.
The intestinal transmission rate was tested by measuring the Indian ink advancing length; immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were applied to detect the distribution,quantity and ultrastructure of ICC; Western blotting method was used to analyze the C-kit protein expression.
Results The intestinal transmission rate in PUE group was significant higher than that in CAI group(P<0.05),but was still lower than that in SC group (P<0.05); compared with CAI group,the number of ICC in PUE group was increased (P<0.05),but there was no significant difference between SC group and PUE group（P>0.05）.Compared with SC group,the ultrastructure of ICC  in CAI group had obvious changes, the organelles were decreased, and the mitochondrion was swelling.But those changes were reversed in PUE group and the  number of mitochondria was increased.The expression of C-kit protein in PUE tissue was higher than that in CAI group (P<0.05),but thers no significant difference compared with SC group.Conclusion Puerarin has a repair or reverse effect on the changes of the number,ultrastructure of ICC and C-kit protein expression caused by alcohol.

Key words: puerarin, chronic alcoholism, interstitial cells of Cajal, C-kit protein, ultrastructure, colon