Secretory Mechanisms in the Nasal Mucosa and the Effects of Sho-seiryu-to

Abstract

Sho-seiryu-to, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has been used extensively in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The effects of Sho-seiryu-to on the electrical responses induced by acetylcholine in dissociated nasal gland acinar cells were investigated using a patch-clamp and microfluorimetric imaging technique. The application of Sho-seiryu-to inhibited both K+ and Clcurrents augmented by acetylcholine. The elevation in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration was also inhibited by Sho-seiryu-to. These findings suggest that Sho-seiryu-to attenuated the secretion of water and electrolytes from the nasal glands through an anticholinergic effect.