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Introduction
Constipation is one of the most frequent health afflications which causes discomfort and affects quality of life of patients (1). A relatively large number of subjects in the general population (ranging from approximately 9% to more than 20%, depending on the geographical area) is affected by this highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder (2). It is a complex symptom and increases during aging. Constipation can cause not only discomfort, but also restlessness, abdominal distension, vomiting, gut obstruction and perforation, and even aspiration or fatal pulmonary embolism (3). Slow-transit constipation (STC) is the most common type of chronic constipation (4), which is a motility disorder characterized by markedly increased total bowel transit time (5). The pathogenesis of constipation remains largely unknown. Earlier investigations have focused on the quantitative alternations of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), the pacemaker of the gastrointestinal tract. The complete absence or a significant reduction in the number of ICCs in colon specimens resected from patients with STC has been reporeted in comparison with normal controls (6). In addition, a number of other pathophysiological abnormalities, including the degeneration of the myenteric plexus ganglia, the aberrant expression of smoothelin protein, and abnormalities of the enteric neurotransmitters may be associated with constipation (7,8). However, the mechanisms through which these numerous abnormalities contribute to the pathogenesis of constipation remain to be further elucidated.
Naringenin (NAR), a natural flavonoid widely found in citrus fruits and tomatoes, has been reported to exhibit various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, anti-mutagenic, hepatoprotective and anticancer effects (9,10). There is increasing evidence to indicate that NAR has potential for use in the treatment of constipation. Yang et al reported that NAR stimulated Cl− secretion in the colonic epithelium via a signaling pathway involving cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) (11). However, the precise effects of NAR on constipation have not been investigated thus far, at least to the best of our knowledge.
In this study, we examined the effect of NAR on loperamide (Lop)-induced constipation in rats, indicating its therapeutic potential for the treatment of constipation and other related diseases.
Materials and methods
Ethics statement
This study was performed in strict accordance with the recommendations of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals...