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Background and Purpose: 5-HT (serotonin) regulates various physiological functions, both directly and via enteric neurons. The present study investigated the role of endogenous 5-HT and 5-HT3 receptors in the pathogenic mechanisms involved in colonic inflammation, especially in relation to substance P (SP) and the neurokinin-1 (NK1 ) receptor., Experimental Approach: The effects of 5-HT3 and NK1 receptor antagonists were examined in dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Inflammatory mediator expression and the distribution of 5-HT3 and NK1 receptors were also determined., Key Results: Daily administration of ramosetron and ondansetron (5-HT3 antagonists) dose-dependently attenuated the severity of DSS-induced colitis and up-regulation of inflammatory mediator expression. Immunohistochemical analysis showed 5-HT3 receptors are mainly expressed in vesicular ACh transporter-positive cholinergic nerve fibres in normal colon. DSS increased the number of colonic nerve fibres that were double positive for 5-HT3 receptors and SP but not of those that were double positive for 5-HT3 receptors and vesicular ACh transporter. DSS increased colonic SP levels and SP-positive nerve fibres; these responses were attenuated by ramosetron. DSS-induced colitis and up-regulation of inflammatory mediators were attenuated by aprepitant, an NK1 antagonist. Immunohistochemical studies further revealed that DSS treatment markedly increased NK1 receptor expression in CD11b-positive cells., Conclusions and Implications: These findings indicate that the 5-HT/5-HT3 receptor and SP/NK1 receptor pathways play pathogenic roles in colonic inflammation. 5-HT acts via 5-HT3 receptors to up-regulate inflammatory mediators and promote colonic inflammation. These effects may be further mediated by activation of macrophage NK1 receptors via SP released from 5-HT3 receptor-positive nerve fibres., (© 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Background and Purpose: Post-operative ileus (POI) is induced by intestinal inflammation. Here, we aimed to clarify the effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists against POI., Experimental Approach: We administered three 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, ondansetron, tropisetron and palonosetron, to a mouse model of POI induced by surgical intestinal manipulation (IM). Immunohistochemistry, intestinal transit, inflammatory mediator mRNA expression and 5-HT content were measured. In some experiments, 5-HT3 A receptor null mice were used., Key Results: Three 5-HT3 receptor antagonists reduced IM-induced infiltration of inflammatory CD68-positive macrophages and myeloperoxidase-stained neutrophils. Ondansetron exhibited no anti-inflammatory actions in 5-HT3 A receptor null mice. Ondansetron inhibited expression of the chemokine CCL2, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and iNOS mRNAs up-regulated by IM, and also ameliorated the delayed gastrointestinal transit. Peritoneal macrophages, but not most infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages, expressed 5-HT3 receptors. IM stimulation increased the 5-HT content of peritoneal lavage fluid, which up-regulated mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in peritoneal macrophages. Immunohistochemical localization of 5-HT3 receptors suggests that ondansetron suppressed expression of these mRNAs in activated peritoneal macrophages, adhering to the serosal region of the inflamed intestinal wall., Conclusion and Implications: 5-HT3 receptor antagonists were anti-inflammatory, mainly targeting peritoneal macrophages expressing these receptors. They also restored the delayed gastrointestinal transit by IM. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists should be therapeutically useful agents against POI., (© 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.)

A double-blind parallel group comparison design clinical study was conducted in Japanese patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction to investigate the efficacy of a supplement containing Pycnogenol® and L-arginine. Subjects were instructed to take a supplement (Pycnogenol® 60 mg/day, L-arginine 690 mg/day and aspartic acid 552 mg/day) or an identical placebo for 8 weeks, and the results were assessed using the five-item erectile domain (IIEF-5) of the International Index of Erectile Function. Additionally, blood biochemistry, urinalysis and salivary testosterone were measured. Eight weeks of supplement intake improved the total score of the IIEF-5. In particular, a marked improvement was observed in 'hardness of erection' and 'satisfaction with sexual intercourse'. A decrease in blood pressure, aspartate transaminase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP), and a slight increase in salivary testosterone were observed in the supplement group. No adverse reactions were observed during the study period. In conclusion, Pycnogenol® in combination with L-arginine as a dietary supplement is effective and safe in Japanese patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction., (Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The present study was performed to determine whether melatonin protects mouse liver against severe damage induced by acetaminophen (APAP) administration and where melatonin primarily functions in the metabolic pathway of APAP to protect mouse liver against APAP-induced injury. Treatment of mice with melatonin (50 or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) 8 or 4 hr before APAP administration (750 mg/kg, p.o.) suppressed the increase in plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in a dose- and a time-dependent manner. Melatonin treatment (100 mg/kg, p.o.) 4 hr before APAP administration remarkably inhibited centrilobular hepatic necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration and increases in hepatic lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase activity, an index of tissue neutrophil infiltration, as well as release of nitric oxide and interleukin-6 into blood circulation at 9 hr after APAP administration. However, melatonin neither affected hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) content nor spared hepatic GSH consumption by APAP treatment. Moreover, pretreatment with melatonin 4 hr before APAP administration did not influence the induction of hepatic heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) by APAP and melatonin alone did not induce HSP70 in mouse liver. These results indicate that exogenously administered melatonin exhibits a potent hepatoprotective effect against APAP-induced hepatic damage probably downstream of the activity of cytochrome P450 2E1, which works upstream of GSH conjugation in the pathway of APAP metabolism, via its anti-nitrosative and anti-inflammatory activities in addition to its antioxidant activity.

1. Various neurotransmitters in the brain regulate gastric acid secretion. Previously, we reported that the central injection of kappa-opioid receptor agonists stimulated this secretion in rats. Although the existence of kappa(1)-kappa(3)-opioid receptor subtypes has been proposed, the character is not defined. We investigated the interactions between kappa-opioid receptor subtypes and glutamate, gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) or 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT) receptors in the rat brain. 2. Gastric acid secretion induced by the injection of U69593 (8.41 nmol, a putative kappa(1)-opioid receptor agonist) into the lateral cerebroventricle was completely inhibited by the central injection of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 10.9 nmol, an antagonist for non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (non-NMDA) receptors) and by bicuculline infusion (222 micro g kg(-1) per 10 min, i.v., GABA(A) receptor antagonist). The secretion induced by bremazocine (8.52 nmol, a putative kappa(2)-opioid receptor agonist) was inhibited by bicuculline infusion, but not by CNQX. The secretion induced by naloxone benzoylhydrazone (224 nmol, a putative kappa(3)-opioid receptor agonist) was slightly and partially inhibited by CNQX and bicuculline. 3. Treatment with CNQX and bicuculline inhibited gastric acid secretion induced by the injection of dynorphin A-(1-17) into the lateral, but not the fourth, cerebroventricle. Antagonists for NMDA, GABA(B) and 5-HT(2/1C) receptors did not inhibit the secretions by kappa-opioid receptor agonists. 4. In rat brain regions close to the lateral cerebroventricle, kappa-opioid receptor systems (kappa(1)>kappa(3)>>kappa(2)) are regulated by the non-NMDA type of glutamate receptor system, and kappa(1)- and kappa(2)-opioid receptor systems are regulated by the GABA(A) receptor system. The present findings show pharmacological evidence for kappa-opioid receptor subtypes that regulate gastric acid secretion in the rat brain.

Chlorzoxazone is 6-hydroxylated by cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP 2E1), which bioactivates many toxic and carcinogenic molecules. Seventeen volunteers of varying age, ethnicity, and gender received a 250 mg tablet of chlorzoxazone and their blood and urine were sampled frequently for 8 h. V/F = 42 +/- 21 L and CL/F = 412 +/- 120 mL min-1. Comparison of these values with a study by other investigators using a suspension dosage form suggested that relative Ftablet approximately 0.7. The fraction excreted in the urine as 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone (fe,6-OH) was 0.39 +/- 0.20 and that portion of the total CL accounted for by CYP 2E1-mediated metabolism (CL6-OH) was 163 +/- 95 mL min-1. Thus, while V/F and CL/F varied by factors of less than five, fe,6-OH varied 16-fold and CL6-OH varied 28-fold. These results suggested that there was considerable inter-individual variability in the metabolism of chlorzoxazone to 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone. This variability will significantly affect the construction of physiologically based pharmacokinetic models that use the 6-hydroxylation of chlorzoxazone as a marker for an individual's CYP 2E1 phenotype.

1. The effect of Na+,K(+)-ATPase inhibition by ouabain on gastric acid secretion was studied in the mouse isolated whole stomach preparation. 2. Ouabain caused a transient enhancement of histamine-induced gastric acid secretion followed by an inhibitory phase. On the other hand, ouabain caused a rapid reduction of bethanechol-stimulated acid secretion without an enhancement phase. 3. In dibutyryl cyclic AMP-induced acid secretion, ouabain led to a transient increase in acid secretion followed by a fall, as was seen with the histamine stimulation. Ouabain caused a rapid reduction of A23187-induced acid secretion. 4. Ouabain by itself increased basal acid secretion, and thereafter slowly suppressed the acid secretion. 5. Atropine inhibited both the ouabain-induced enhancement of the stimulated gastric acid secretion and the ouabain-induced stimulation of basal acid secretion. 6. The present study showed that Na+,K(+)-ATPase inhibition by ouabain caused a phasic enhancement of the stimulated gastric acid secretion through release of endogenous acetylcholine when the secretagogues act via an intracellular cyclic AMP pathway. It also inhibited the stimulated acid secretion irrespective of secretagogues, probably through its inhibitory effect on Na+,K(+)-ATPase in the gastric parietal cell.