Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2014 Oct;18(5):383-390. 10.4196/kjpp.2014.18.5.383.

The Effects of Eupatilin (Stillen(R)) on Motility of Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tracts

• Ryoo SB
• Oh HK
• Yu SA
• Moon SH
• Choe EK
• Oh TY
• Park KJ

• KMID: 2285536
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4196/kjpp.2014.18.5.383

Abstract

Gastrointestinal motility consists of phasic slow-wave contractions and the migrating motor complex (MMC). Eupatilin (Stillen(R)) has been widely used to treat gastritis and peptic ulcers, and various cytokines and neuropeptides are thought to be involved, which can affect gastrointestinal motility. We performed a study to identify the effects of eupatilin on lower gastrointestinal motility with electromechanical recordings of smooth muscles in the human ileum and colon. Ileum and colon samples were obtained from patients undergoing bowel resection. The tissues were immediately stored in oxygenated Krebs-Ringer's bicarbonate solution, and conventional microelectrode recordings from muscle cells and tension recordings from muscle strips and ileal or colonic segments were performed. Eupatilin was perfused into the tissue chamber, and changes in membrane potentials and contractions were measured. Hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential (RMP) was observed after administration of eupatilin. The amplitude, AUC, and frequency of tension recordings from circular and longitudinal smooth muscle strips and bowel segments of the ileum and colon were significantly decreased after admission of eupatilin. Eupatilin elicited dose-dependent decreases during segmental tension recordings. In conclusion, eupatilin (Stillen(R)) showed inhibitory effects on the human ileum and colon. We propose that this drug may be useful for treating diseases that increase bowel motility, but further studies are necessary.

Keyword

Colon; Eupatilin; Ileum; Motility; Smooth muscle

MeSH Terms

Area Under Curve
Colon
Cytokines
Gastritis
Gastrointestinal Motility
Humans
Ileum
Lower Gastrointestinal Tract*
Membrane Potentials
Microelectrodes
Muscle Cells
Muscle, Smooth
Myoelectric Complex, Migrating
Neuropeptides
Oxygen
Peptic Ulcer
Cytokines
Neuropeptides
Oxygen

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Schematic drawing of experiments. (A) Conventional microelectrode recording. (a) resting membrane potential (RMP), (b) slow wave amplitude, (c) spike amplitude. (B) Isometric tension recordings from circular and longitudinal muscle strips. (a) amplitude, (b) interval to calculate frequency, (c) area under the curve (AUC). (C) Isometric tension recordings from circular and longitudinal muscles from ileal or colonic segments (M, mucosa; SM, submucosa; CM, circular muscle; LM, longitudinal muscle; prox, proximal; mid, middle; dist, distal).

• 

  Fig. 2 The resting membrane potential was significantly hyperpolarized after administration of eupatilin in intracellular recordings of the ileum (A) and colon (B). The horizontal black lines are the level of RMPs.

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  Fig. 3 The amplitude, AUC, and frequency were significantly decreased after administration of eupatilin in tension recordings of ileal (A) and colonic (B) smooth muscle strips.

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  Fig. 4 The amplitude, AUC, and frequency were significantly decreased after administration of eupatilin in tension recordings of ileal (A) and colonic (B) segments.

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  Fig. 5 Eupatilin induced a dose-dependent decrease in segmental tension recordings. The amplitude, AUC, and frequency of ileum (A) and colon (B) muscle contractions decreased as eupatilin increased from 0 to 1, 2.5 and 5 µM (▪ circular muscle, □ longitudinal muscle).

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