Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: TRP , TRPV , TRPV4

Title: The prophylactic effects of a traditional Japanese medicine, goshajinkigan, on paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy and its mechanism of action.

Authors: Yukiko Matsumura, Yoshihito Yokoyama, Hachidai Hirakawa, Tatsuhiko Shigeto, Masayuki Futagami, Hideki Mizunuma

Journal, date & volume: Mol Pain, 2014 , 10, 61

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25240613

Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic effect of goshajinkigan (GJG) on paclitaxel (PTX)-induced neuropathy and to elucidate the mechanism of action.There was a time-dependent irreversible decrease in pain threshold in PTX group. In PTX/GJG group, pain threshold showed changes in the same level as control. Electron microscope showed that although the ganglion cells of control and PTX/GJG groups were normal, degeneration of the nucleus and swelling of the mitochondria were observed in PTX group. Expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) gene in PTX group significantly increased compared with that in control and PTX/GJG groups. In TRPV4 knock-out mice, no PTX-induced hyperalgesia was observed, and there was no significant difference in pain threshold between the 3 groups.These results showed that PTX induced hyperalgesia by enhancing TRPV4 expression, and suggested that GJG might alleviate hyperalgesia by preventing degeneration of the ganglion cells and suppressing TRPV4 expression.