J Nutr Health.  2021 Jun;54(3):321-333. 10.4163/jnh.2021.54.3.321.

Effects of a mixture of Citri Pericarpium and Scutellariae Radix on acute reflux esophagitis in rats

• Lee JA
• Shin MR
• Roh SS
• Park HJ

• KMID: 2517373
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2021.54.3.321

Abstract

Purpose
Reflux esophagitis is a disease caused by the reflux of stomach contents and stomach acid etc. into the esophagus due to defect in the lower esophageal sphincter and is currently increasing worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a mixture of Citrus Reticulata and Scutellariae Radix (CS) extract on acute reflux esophagitis in rats.
Methods
Rats were divided into five groups for examination: normal group (Normal, n = 8), water-treated acute reflux esophagitis rats (Control, n = 8), tocopherol 30 mg/kg body weight-treated acute reflux esophagitis rats (Toco, n = 8), CS 100 mg/kg body weight-treated acute reflux esophagitis rats (CS100, n = 8), CS 200 mg/kg body weight-treated acute reflux esophagitis rats (CS200, n = 8). The experimental groups were administrated of each treatment compounds and after 90 min, acute reflux esophagitis was induced through surgery. Rats were sacrificed 5 h after surgery. We measured the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in serum and analyzed the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, inflammatory, and tight junction-related proteins by western blot in the esophageal tissues.
Results
CS administration significantly protected the esophageal mucosal damage due to reflux esophagitis, and the level of ROS in the serum was significantly reduced with CS administration as compared to Control. In addition, CS administration significantly suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK or MAP kinase) and nuclear factorkappa B (NF-κB) pathways and increased protein expressions of tight junction protein.
Conclusion
These results suggest that the CS not only regulates the expression of inflammatory proteins by inhibiting oxidative stress, but also reduces damage to the esophageal mucosa by inhibiting the expression of tight junction proteins.

Keyword

esophagitis; Citrus Reticulata; Scutellariae Radix; oxidative stress; inflammation