Experimental Study On Relationship Of Spleen Deficiency Syndrome With Brain-gut Peptide Such As Neusopeptide Y, Arginine Vasopressin, Oxytocin

Aim: The study is to investigate the relationship of spleen deficiency syndrom withbrain-gut peptide based on the theory of five viscera holding spirit. Throughobserving the behavior change of the rat model of spleen deficiencysyndrome, we detected immunohistochemical and genetic expression of AVP,OT,NPY, in order to reveal the mechanism of spleen deficiency influence onlearning and memory. The study's final goal is to reflect the sense of TCM spleenin storing idea and in charge of thoughts, and provide new experimental evidencefor TCM treating emotional diseases based on spleen.Methods: In this study, the spleen-asthenia rat model are produced by applying multiplefactors such as abnormal diet, over strain and damage from abuse diarrhea drugs.Guipi decoction was used as a remedy to verify the availability of the model.Chaihushugan decoction was used as a positive contrast. Immunohistochemicalmethod was employed to detect the variance of appearance and quantity ofAVP,OT and NPY. Moreover, hybridization in situ was adopted to determine thegenetic expression of AVP and NPY.Results:(1) The spleen-asthenia rat model produced by applying multiple factors manifested symptoms similar to the typical case of spleen deficiency syndrome such as diarrhea, athrepsy, anepithymia, depressed, and so on. The diarrhea was severest at the eighth day. The group rat prevented and treated by Guipi decoction did not show manifestation of spleen deficiency syndrome, and compared with normal controls it did not show significant changes, which demonstrated that it was successful to make spleen-asthenia rat model. But the group rat prevented and treated by chaihushugan decoction showed similar symptoms and changes to the spleen-asthenia rat model.(2) Four behavioral tests' results showed that the abilities of learning and memory in the group of spleen deficiency were obviously lower than that of thet normalgroup (P<0.01). The group rat prevented and treated by Guipi decoction did not show markedly descend in abilities of learning and memory (P>0.05). It is concluded that spleen deficiency may influence the abilities of learning and memory in rats, which can be improved by Guipi decoction.(3) Immunohistochemical experiment showed that the quantity of AVP NPY neurons have decreased obviously in the spleen-asthenia rat models (P<0.01). However, the group rat prevented and treated by Guipi decoction did not show manifestation of decreasing in the quantity of AVP NPY neurons, and compared with normal controls it did not show significant changes (P>0.05).(4) The quantity of OT neurons have increased obviously in the spleen-asthenia rat models (P<0.01). But the quantity of OT neurons have not increased, on the contrary, increased in the group rat prevented and treated by Guipi decoction, and compared with normal controls it did not show significant changes (P>0.05).Conclusion: our experiments demonstrated the following(1) The rat model of spleen deficiency syndrome was successful which had good reduplication and reliability.(2) The quantity of AVP, NPY neurons have decreased obviously in the spleen-asthenia rat models (P<0.01), however the quantity of OT neurons have increased obviously in the spleen-asthenia rat models (P<0.01). Since AVP, OT and NPY have close relationship with the ability of learning and memory, it can be said that spleen deficiency will influence on learning and memory. It also demonstrate that TCM spleen have function in storing idea and in charge of thoughts(3) Guipi decoction could adjust the genetic expression of AVP and NPY by modulating the functions of brain-gut peptide then eliminated the symptoms of spleen deficiency syndrom. Chaihusugan decoction hadn't this efficacy. It is concluded that spleen deficiency may influence the abilities of learning and memory in rats, which can be improved by Guipi decoction. In short, This experiment provide new experimental evidence for treating emotional diseases based on spleen.