Cassia obtusifolia L. is commonly used as medicinal foods to treat gastrointestinal disease in many countries. This study evaluated the anti-constipation effects of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. in rats with loperamide-induced constipation. Diffferent concentrations of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. (0, 10, 250, and 500 mg/kg) was administered to rat orally once daily for 3 weeks following loperamide treatment. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (N=25) were randomly divided into five groups: normal control and experimental groups and injected loperamide intraperitoneally to induce constipation in the latter four experimental groups. Following the induction of loperamide-induced constipation, a marked decrease was observed in the fecal weight and water content discharged for over 1 week and intestinal transit time while an increase was observed in the number of fecal pellets remaining in the colonic lumen as compared with the normal control group. These conditions were significantly alleviated following the administration of the two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. when compared to the loperamide-treated (constipation control) group. More specifically, the number of fecal pellets in the colon was 3, 5, 4, 2.8, and 1.2 in the five groups, respectively and the corresponding GIT ratio was 70.77, 56.59, 58.67, 66.81, and 72.10%, respectively. The fecal water content, transit distance, and GIT ratio in the high-dose treatment group were significantly higher than that in the medium-dose treatment group, but a significant decrease in the number of fecal pellets in the colon. In conclusion, the Cassia obtusifolia L. extract is suggested to have beneficial effects as a therapeutic and preventive strategy to alleviate constipation and to relieve the symptoms of constipation such as pain, flatulence, distention, bloating, and unpleasant taste.

Probiotics is known improve the microenvironment of colon; however, the metagenomic DNA study of its lactic acid bacteria in constipation induced by loperamide is not clearly understood. In the present study, we investigated the reduction of the lactic acid bacteria in case of constipation, in normal and loperamide-induced rat. Lactic acid powder (lactic acid bacteria 19) was prepared from Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corporation. After 2 weeks of oral administration, the group treated with the higher concentration of lactic acid bacteria (109 CFU/mL per kg of body weight) following loperamide treatment was the most effective in increasing number, weight, and water content of feces. A similar but significant increase was found in the group treated with lower concentration of lactic acid bacteria (107 CFU/mL per kg of body weight) after loperamide treatment. The concentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid in feces in the loperamide-induced rat with high concentration lactic acid, were significantly higher than that of others. Furthermore, gastrointestinal transit ratio as well as the length and area of intestinal mucosa were significantly increased after treatment with lactic acid bacteria in loperamideinduced rat. Metagenomics DNA analysis indicated that the microorganism homology in cecum was similar between the groups of normal (NOR) and HIG. Our results show that lactic acid bacteria were effective in improving the constipation.

Background: Constipation is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder. The present study examined the ability of water extract of fermented (FRC) and non-fermented (NFRC) roasted Cassia tora to improve intestinal function and reduce constipation in a rat constipation model.Methods and Results:Different concentration of FRC and NFRC were orally administered loperamide (5 ㎎/㎏; LOP) reduced the number, weight, and water content of feces, as well as intestinal transit motility. However, 24 h-(24 hour fermented roasted-Cassia tora) 300 ㎎/㎏ FRC administration increased the number, weight, and water concent of feces, compared to that seen in the LOP group, and also improve intestinal transit mitility and, the thickness of distal colon and mucous fluid.Conclusions:The results of the present study indicated that LOP-induced constipation was improved by treatment with FRC. Therefore FRC could be used to develop functional foods or natural medicine for constipation. However, further study is needed to clarify how fermentation improves the medicinal properties of roasted C. tora.

Background : Irregular meals and insufficient exercise are major modern lifestyle-related risk factors for constipation. This study aimed to examine the effects of the aqueous extract of Dendrobium speciosum var. (DM) on the improvement of intestinal function and prevention of constipation in rats. Methods and Results : Constipation in rat was induced by loperamide (4 ㎎/㎏) injection for 5 days and rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: normal control rats (NOR), constipated rats (LOP induced) and constipated rats supplemented with dulcolax-S (POS), DMSG, 100 ㎎/㎏ (DMSG-100), 300 ㎎/㎏ (DMSG-300) and 500 ㎎/㎏ (DMSG-500). The DMSG groups showed increments in the frequency and amount of stools compared to the LOP group. Loperamide treatment markedly reduced the water content of feces, whereas DMSG administration significantly increased fecal water contents. Moreover, DMSG improved intestinal transit speed in constipated-rats. Alcian blue staining revealed increased mucus production by crypt cells and mucus contents in feces and the mucosal surface. Conclusions : In summary, DM extraction significantly improves intestinal function in rats, which indicates the effectiveness of this extract in the prevention and treatment of constipation.

참다래 동결건조물을 2.5%, 5% 농도로 사료와 혼합하여 실험동물에 투여하고 실험 5일간 loperamide(2 mg/kg/day, s.c.)로 변비를 유도하여 참다래의 변비치료 및 예방 효과를 측정하였다. Lopermide를 단독 투여한 군은 정상대조군과 비교하여 변의 개수 및 중량이 유의적으로 감소하였으며 원위 결장 내 변 잔류의 증가 및 cecocolonic segment의 무게가 증가하였다. 참다래 동결건조물 및 loperamide를 투여한 군은 loperamide를 단독 투여한 군과 비교하여 변의 개수 및 중량이 유의적으로 증가하였으며 원위 결장 내 잔류 변 및 cecocolonic segment의 무게도 감소하였다. 이러한 결과는 참다래가 in vivo에서 변비 개선 효과가 있음을 보여준다. 변의 수분 함량에서도 loperamide로 변비를 유발시킨 군에서 감소하는 경향을 보였고 참다래 동결건조물 투여군에서 농도 의존적으로 증가하는 것을 확인 할 수 있었다. 조직학적 검사에서도 참다래 동결건조물 투여군의 원위 대장관에서 crypt cell내 점액의 증가와 장관내 분변의 점액질의 증가도 관찰되었다. In vitro 실험결과, 회장 적출 절편에서 참다래 동결건조물(2.5 mg/ml)을 전 처리 시 loperamide에 의한 장력과 진폭 억제가 부분적으로 차단되었으며 이러한 결과는 참다래 동결건조물의 변비 개선효과가 장의 운동성 촉진과 대장관 내 점액분비 증가에 의한 대장관 내용물의 이동성증가와 관련이 있음을 시사한다.

뽕잎분말을 식이에 각각 0%(무첨가), 5%(저농도) 및 10%(고농도)로 33일간 흰쥐에게 급여하고, 실험 29-33일 사이에 5일간 1일 2회 loperamide(1.5 mg/kg/day, s.c.)를 피하투여하여 변비를 유도한 뒤 뽕잎분말의 변비 개선효과를 측정하였다. 체중증가량은 loperamide 투여 전에는 뽕잎분말을 급여한 MPL5군과 MPL10군이 뽕잎분말을 첨가하지 않고 정상식이를 급여한 NOR군과 MPL0군에 비하여 감소하였으며