Rikkunshito (TJ-43) Improved Reduction of Food Intake in a Murine Cardiac Transplantation Model

Rikkunshito (TJ-43), an eight-component traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has been used in clinics for gastritis, vomiting, and appetite loss. We investigated the effects of TJ-43 on the amelioration of appetite loss in the surgical-exposed model of murine cardiac allograft transplantation. CBA mice underwent transplantation of a CBA (syngeneic group) or C57BL/6 heart (allogeneic group) and received oral administration of 2 g/kg/d of TJ-43 from the day of transplantation until 7 days afterward. The amount of food intake (FI) and weight change after operation were recorded from 1 to 28 postoperative days. The allogeneic group had less average amounts of FI for 1 week compared with the syngeneic group (FI was 1.90 ± 0.43 g and 2.66 ± 0.46 g, respectively). Average FIs between the syngeneic and allogeneic groups with TJ-43 for 1 week were 2.36 ± 0.44 g and 2.30 ± 0.13 g, respectively, and those with distilled water were 2.66 ± 0.46 g and 1.90 ± 0.43 g, respectively, suggesting that exposure with TJ-43 tended to ameliorate the reduction of FI. Similarly, the effect on the amelioration of average FI in syngeneic and allogeneic groups exposed for 2 weeks was confirmed. However, exposure to with TJ-43 had no effects on FI after 4 weeks. TJ-43 could prevent reduction of average FI induced by the surgical-exposed model of murine cardiac allograft transplantation.