Effect of rhubarb on changes of cholinergic nerves in colonic myenteric plexus for chronic slow transit constipation rat

s:Objective To study the effect of rhubarb on the changes in cholinergic nerves in colonic myenteric plexus for the chronic slow transit constipation rat.Methods Slow transit constipation model of rat was reproduced by feeding diphenoxylate.The changes in cholinergic nerves in colonic myenteric plexus were studied by histochemical technology.Results In the colonic myenteric plexuses of rats with slow transit constipation,cholinergic nerves and cholinergic cells were significantly decreased with denser immunostainning,but its volume increased.After treated by rhubarb,cholinergic nerves and cholinergic cells tended to be normal(positive cells were 25.71±5.36 vs STC model group 14.32±4.60,P0.01;the ratio of nuclei/cytoplasm was 0.71±0.218 vs STC model group 0.58±0.19,P0.01).Conclusion Dysfunction of colon transit is related with the changes in cholinergic nerves of colonic myenteric nerve plexus in rats with slow transit constipation1.Rhubarb can adjust the cholinergic nerve supply in STC rats,which maybe a mechanism of treating STC.