A research team led by Assistant Professor (Collaborative Research Lab) Fumie Shiba, Professor Emeritus Mutsumi Miyauchi, and Professor Koji Ohta of the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences at Hiroshima University has clarified the wound-healing and analgesic effects of Equisetum arvense extract on stomatitis. The team also elucidated part of the mechanism underlying its analgesic action. These findings could lead to the development of treatment and prevention methods utilizing this extract. The results were published in PLOS One .
(A) Pain caused by stomatitis occurs as the release of substance P enhances the expression of TNF-α and COX-2.
(B) Administration of Equisetum arvense extract markedly suppresses the release of substance P, as well as the expression of TNF-α and COX-2, thereby alleviating pain associated with stomatitis.
Provided by Hiroshima University
Stomatitis, caused by stress, an unbalanced diet, viruses, and other factors, is a troublesome condition that many people experience. While treatment with steroid ointments is common, there is a risk of side effects such as mucosal atrophy and immune suppression when this is applied over long periods or at high frequency.
The research group focused on E. arvense extract, known in herbal medicine as "monkei," and investigated its effects on inflammation and pain caused by stomatitis. The team conducted experiments in which stomatitis was artificially induced in hamster cheek pouches and the extract was applied at high and low concentrations. They also examined the effects of the extract on pain transmission factors using rat-derived dorsal root ganglia cells.
The results showed that hamsters treated with E. arvense extract at high concentrations exhibited significant reduction in stomatitis ulcer size and histologically accelerated healing. In contrast, stomatitis healing was not promoted in those treated at low concentrations. Additionally, while hamsters with induced stomatitis experienced difficulty eating due to pain and lost weight, those treated with the extract at all concentrations showed improved feeding behavior and suppressed weight loss. This suggested that E. arvense extract has analgesic effects.
Molecular-level analysis revealed that the extract suppresses the release of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) associated with pain manifestation, prostaglandin synthesis enzyme (COX-2), and a pain transmission substance (substance P).These results suggest that it not only promotes wound healing but may also effectively alleviate stomatitis pain by simultaneously suppressing multiple pain-related factors that are the root causes of pain.
These findings are expected to lead to the development of new oral care products. If oral care products containing E. arvense extract are commercialized, they would greatly contribute to improving the quality of life of stomatitis patients. Furthermore, the use of the extract as an herbal medicine may lead to the development of safe stomatitis treatment methods with minimal concerns about side effects.
The research group plans to further investigate the detailed mechanisms of action of E. arvense extract, identify active components, and verify its effects on stomatitis in human subjects.
Journal Information
Publication: PLOS One
Title: Antinociceptive effect of Equisetum arvense extract on the stomatitis hamster model
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313747
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