Juergen M Gschossmann, Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Forchheim/Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91301 Forchheim, Germany
Author contributions: Balsiger BM and Gschossmann JM designed the study; Krayer M performed the experiments; Balsiger BM supervised the experiments; Vennos C contributed the test substance; Balsiger BM, Krayer M, Flogerzi B and Rickenbacher A analyzed the data; Krayer M, Vennos C and Gschossmann JM wrote the paper; all the authors contributed equally to this work.
Supported by The Research Grant from Padma Inc., Switzerland, to Vennos C
Correspondence to: Juergen M Gschossmann, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Forchheim/Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstrasse 10, 91301 Forchheim, Germany. juergen.gschossmann@klinikum-forchheim.de
Telephone: +49-919-1610205 Fax: +49-919-1610205
Received: June 8, 2012 Revised: November 28, 2012 Accepted: December 20, 2012 Published online: February 6, 2013
Abstract
AIM: To examine the effects of Padma Digestin on the smooth muscle motility of different gastrointestinal segments in vitro.
METHODS: The effects of the ethanolic extract of Padma Digestin (at 8.16 mg/mL or 81.6 mg/mL) on the contractility and susceptibility to acetylcholine (ACh) of muscle strips from the cardia, antrum, pylorus, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon of male Wistar rats were analyzed.
RESULTS: Compared with the control treatment, the Padma Digestin extract had a procontractile effect on the antral smooth muscle strips. Padma Digestin decreased ACh sensitivity in cardia muscle strips and increased it in those from the antrum and pylorus. In the intestinal segments, spontaneous contractility was inhibited in both the duodenal and jejunal strips, whereas reactivity to ACh was inhibited in the jejunal strips only. In the colonic samples, Padma Digestin inhibited spontaneous and ACh-stimulated contractility at a low dose but seems to have increasing effects at a high dose.
CONCLUSION: Padma Digestin extract has region-specific effects on the contractility and excitability of gastrointestinal smooth muscle. Our results support the traditional use of Padma Digestin for maldigestion and functional gastrointestinal disorders.
