Improvement of QOL for cancer patients by a traditional Japanese medicine: Ameliorative effects of cachexia by rikkunshito through ghrelin receptors

癌症恶病质是一种多因素综合征，以厌食症和体重减轻为特征，导致生活质量差（QOL）。我们利用从人胃癌细胞系衍生的新细胞系建立了一种新的癌症恶病质动物模型。在该模型中，观察到对促食欲肽ghrelin的敏感性降低。中药立健饮改善了模型中恶病质状态，立健饮改善恶病质的作用可能是由于增强了胃饥饿素诱导的细胞内信号传导。我们的研究结果表明，立昆茶可能有助于改善癌症恶病质患者的生活质量。

Cancer cachexia, a multi-factorial syndrome characterized by anorexia and the loss of body weight, causes poor quality of life (QOL). We developed a novel cancer cachexia animal model using a novel cell line derived from human gastric cancer cell line. In this model, the reduced susceptibility to the appetite promoting peptide ghrelin was observed. Rikkunshito, a traditional Japanese medicine, ameliorated cachexia status in the model and the ameliorative effects of cachexia by rikkunshito were suggested to be due to the enhancement of ghrelin-induced intracellular signaling. Our findings demonstrate that rikkunshito may contribute to the improvement of QOL in patients with cancer cachexia.