Byakkokaninjinto prevents body water loss by increasing the expression of kidney aquaporin-2 and skin aquaporin-3 in KKAy mice

• Published in: Phytotherapy research 2011-06, Vol.25 (6), p.897-903
• Main Authors: Aburada, Takashi, Ikarashi, Nobutomo, Kagami, Mai, Ichikawa, Yuhei, Sugitani, Megumi, Maniwa, Ayaka, Ueda, Harumi, Toda, Takahiro, Ito, Kiyomi, Ochiai, Wataru, Matsushita, Ryo, Miyamoto, Ken-ichi, Sugiyama, Kiyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemarrhena - chemistry; Animals; aquaporin; Aquaporin 2 - biosynthesis; Aquaporin 3 - biosynthesis; Biological and medical sciences; blood glucose; body water; Body Water - metabolism; byakkokaninjinto; diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Diuresis - drug effects; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; General pharmacology; Glycyrrhiza - chemistry; Humans; insulin; kidney; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; kidneys; KKAy mouse; Medical sciences; medicine; messenger RNA; Mice; Models, Animal; Oryza - chemistry; Panax - chemistry; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; protein synthesis; pruritus; salivary glands; Salivary Glands - metabolism; skin; Skin - drug effects; Skin - metabolism; thirst; urine
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.3358

Byakkokaninjinto (BKN) is an herbal medicine used for the relief of diuresis, thirst and dermal pruritis that are associated with diabetes. The effects of BKN on the expression of aquaporins (AQPs) in the kidney, salivary gland and skin were investigated in order to clarify the mechanism of drug action. Seven-week-old KKAy mice were given feed containing 4.5% BKN for 4 weeks. Compared with the control group, BKN administration did not affect the blood glucose and insulin concentration. However, water intake and urine volume were significantly reduced. AQP2 protein expression in the kidney inner medullary was significantly increased after BKN administration. AQP3 mRNA and protein expression in skin tissue was significantly increased after BKN administration. However, BKN administration did not affect AQP5 mRNA expression in the salivary gland. These results suggest that BKN treatment relieves diuresis, thirst, and dermal pruritis by increasing kidney AQP2 expression and skin AQP3 expression. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.