Usefulness of a Kampo Medicine on Stress-Induced Delayed Gastric Emptying in Mice

Figure 4

Hypothesis to explain the effect of bukuryoingohangekobokuto (BGH) on stress hormone–induced delayed gastric emptying. Intracerebroventricular administration of the stress hormone CRF delays gastric emptying via CRF2 receptor. BGH may exert its restorative effect via CRF2 antagonism. Moreover, BGH may enhance gastric emptying via increasing gastric motility by acetylcholine production through D2 receptor and AChE antagonism and via relaxing the pyloric sphincter by D3 receptor antagonism. NPY Y2 antagonism may contribute to the suppression of the CRF pathway and ileal break. CRF, corticotropin-releasing factor; CRF2, CRF type-2 receptor; D2/D3, dopamine D2/D3 receptor; AChE, acetylcholinesterase; NPY Y2, neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor. The image depicted in this figure is our own.