Saireito (TJ-114), a Japanese Traditional Herbal Medicine, Reduces 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Intestinal Mucositis in Mice by Inhibiting Cytokine-Mediated Apoptosis in Intestinal Crypt Cells

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116213
• Publication Date: 2015-01-07T20:36:27Z
• Authors: Shinichi Kato; Shusaku Hayashi; Yumeno Kitahara; Koyo Nagasawa; Hitomi Aono; Junichiro Shibata; Daichi Utsumi; Kikuko Amagase; Makoto Kadowaki
• Keywords: Mucositis; Kampo; Intestinal mucosa

Clinical chemotherapy frequently causes intestinal mucositis as a side effect, which is accompanied by severe diarrhea. We recently showed that the cytokine-mediated apoptotic pathway might be important for development of induced 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Saireito, traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, widely used to treat diarrhea and various inflammatory diseases in Japan. In present study, we investigated effect saireito on 5-FU-induced mice, especially relation apoptosis crypt. Male C57BL/6 mice were given 5-FU (50 mg/kg), i.p. once daily 6 days. Intestinal was evaluated histochemically. Saireito (100–1000 mg/kg) administered p.o. twice Repeated treatment caused including morphological damage, body weight loss Daily administration reduced severity dose-dependent manner. Body during also significantly attenuated administration. The number caspase-3-activated cells crypt increased, up-regulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α interleukin (IL)-1β mRNA within 24 h first injection. However, all these measures lower after These results suggest attenuates mucositis. This action may come from reduction via suppression up-regulation cytokines. Therefore, clinically useful prevention cancer chemotherapy.