Effect of Sho-hange-ka-bukuryo-to on gastrointestinal peptide concentrations in the plasma of healthy human subjects.

Sho-hange-ka-bukuryou-to, a traditional Chinese herbal (Kampo) medicine, has been used to treat hyperemesis of pregnancy, nausea and vomiting. Most traditional herbal medicines are prepared from several herbs. For example, Sho-hange-ka-bukuryo-to is prepared from three herbs: Pinelliae Tuber, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Hoelen. Thus, to determine the precise mechanism of the pharmacological effects of Chinese herbal medicines is too difficult. So we have elucidated the effect of some Chinese herbal medicines by examining the change of the plasma levels of brain-gut peptides. In this study, we investigated the effects of Sho-hange-ka-bukuryo-to on the plasma levels of gut-regulated peptides (gastrin, somatostatin, motilin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)) and gastrointestinal mucosa regulatory neuropeptides (calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P) in healthy human subjects. A single oral administration of Sho-hange-ka-bukuryo-to caused significant increases in plasma somatostatin-, CGRP- and substance P-immunoreactive substance (IS) levels, compared with a placebo group. Transient elevation of gastrin-IS levels in the placebo group was inhibited by the administration of Sho-hange-ka-bukuryo-to, but the medicine showed no effects on plasma motilin- or VIP-IS levels. In conclusion, these results might indicate that the pharmacological action of Sho-hange-ka-bukuryo-to is closely related to changes in gastrin-, somatostatin-, CGRP- and substance P-IS levels in human plasma.