Progress in active compounds effective on ulcerative colitis from Chinese medicines

Therapeutic Potential of Essential Oils Against Ulcerative Colitis: A Review

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-sp ecific inflammatory disease of the colorectal mucosa. Researchers have associated UC onset with familial genetics, lifestyle behavior, inflammatory immune factors, intestinal microbiota, and the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. The primary therapeutic interventions for UC consist of pharmacological management to control inflammation and promote mucosal healing and surgical interventions. The available drugs effectively control and decelerate the progression of UC in most patients; nonetheless, their long-term administration can exert adverse effects and influence the therapeutic effect. Plant essential oils (EOs) refer to a group of hydrophobic aromatic volatile substances. EOs have garnered considerable attention in both domestic and international research because of their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. They include peppermint, peppercorns, rosemary, and lavender, among others. Researchers have investigated the role of EOs in medicine and have elucidated their potential to mitigate the detrimental effects of UC through their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, and anti-insomnia properties as well as their ability to regulate the intestinal flora. Furthermore, EOs exert minimal toxic adverse effects, further enhancing their appeal for therapeutic applications. However, these speculations are based on theoretical experiments, thereby warranting more clinical studies to confirm their effectiveness and safety. In this article, we aim to provide an overview of the advancements in utilizing natural medicine EOs for UC prevention and treatment. We will explore the potential pathogenesis of UC and examine the role of EOs therapy in basic research, quality stability, and management specification of inadequate EOs for UC treatment. We intend to offer novel insights into the use of EOs in UC prevention and management.

Insights into Q-markers and molecular mechanism of Sanguisorba saponins in treating ulcerative colitis based on lipid metabolism regulation

BACKGROUND

Sanguisorba saponin extract (SSE) is the main active part of Sanguisorba officinalis with various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant. However, its therapeutic role and underlying mechanisms for ulcerative colitis (UC) still need to be elucidated.

PURPOSE

This study aims to explore the therapeutic effect, effectiveness-material basis-quality markers (Q-markers) and prospective mechanism of function of SSE on UC.

METHODS

Fresh 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) solution was placed in drinking bottles for 7 days to induce a mouse model of UC. SSE and sulfasalazine (SASP) were supplemented to mice by gavage for consecutive 7 days to investigate the therapeutic role of SSE on UC. Mouse monocyte macrophages (RAW264.7) and human normal colonic epithelial (NCM460) cells were treated with LPS to induce inflammatory responses, followed by pharmacodynamic examination with different concentrations of SSE. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Alcian blue staining were conducted to evaluate the pathological damage of mice colon. Lipidomic technology was conducted to explore the differential lipids closely related to the disease process of UC. Quantitative PCR analysis, immunohistochemistry and ELISA kit were used to measure the expression levels of the corresponding proteins and pro-inflammatory factors.

RESULTS

SSE treatment could effectively reduce the elevated expressions of pro-inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 and NCM460 cells due to LPS stimulation. Intragastric administration of SSE was found to significantly alleviate the symptoms of DSS-induced colon injury and low-polar saponins in SSE. Low polarity saponins, especially ZYS-II, were proved to be the main active substances of SSE in treating UC. In addition, SSE could significantly ameliorate the aberrant lipid metabolism in UC mice. The role of phosphatidylcholine (PC)34:1 in the UC pathogenesis has been fully verified in our previous studies. Herein, SSE-dosing effectively reversed the metabolic disorder of PCs in UC mice, and increased the PC34:1 level to normal via up-regulating the expression of phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (PCYT1α).

CONCLUSION

Our data innovatively revealed that SSE could significantly alleviate the symptoms of UC by reversing the disorder of PC metabolism induced by DSS modeling. SSE was proved for the first time to be a promising and effective candidate for UC treatment.

Engineered procyanidin-Fe nanoparticle alleviates intestinal inflammation through scavenging ROS and altering gut microbiome in colitis mice

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation, intestinal barrier injury, and imbalance of gut microbiota. Excess accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is closely correlated with the development and reoccurrence of IBD. Previous researches demonstrate that procyanidin, as a natural antioxidant, exhibits strong ability of eliminating ROS, thus showing good therapeutic effects in the inflammation-related diseases. Non-etheless, its poor stability and solubility always limits the therapeutic outcomes. Here, we typically designed an antioxidant coordination polymer nanoparticle using the engineering of procyanidin (Pc) and free iron (Fe), named Pc-Fe nanozyme, for effectively scavenging ROS and further inhibiting inflammation while altering the gut microbiome for the treatment of colitis. Furthermore, in vitro experiments uncover that Pc-Fe nanoparticles exert strong multi biomimic activities, including peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase, for the scavenging of ROS and protecting cells from oxidative injury. In addition, the colon accumulation of Pc-Fe nanozyme effectively protects the intestinal mucosa from oxidative damage while significantly downregulates pro-inflammatory factors, repairs the intestinal barriers and alternates gut microbiome after orally administrated in sodium dextran sulfate (DSS) induced colitis mice. The results collectively illustrate that the multienzyme mimicking Pc-Fe nanozyme owns high potential for treating IBD through scavenging ROS, inhibiting inflammation, repairing gut barriers and alternating gut microbiome, which further promising its clinical translation on IBD treatment and other ROS induced intestinal diseases.

Alanyl-Glutamine (Ala-Gln) Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-Induced Acute Colitis by Regulating the Gut Microbiota, PI3K-Akt/NF-κB/STAT3 Signaling, and Associated Pulmonary Injury

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln) on acute colitis complicated by pulmonary injury induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in C57BL/6 mice. The results showed that Ala-Gln intervention alleviated weight loss, the disease activity index (DAI), colon shortening, and pathological injury and regulated the absolute number of CD4⁺T-cell subsets in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). In addition, Ala-Gln intervention significantly ameliorated the composition of the gut microbiota in mice with DSS- induced acute colitis, significantly decreasing the relative abundance of Desulfovibrionaceae and increasing the abundances of Gastranaerophilales, Clostridia-vadinBB60, and Alistipes. Moreover, Ala-Gln treatment significantly inhibited the activation of the PI3K-Akt/NF-κB/STAT3 inflammatory signaling pathways in the colon of mice with DSS-induced acute colitis. Notably, Ala-Gln intervention also alleviated the pulmonary injury as well as the imbalance in levels of CD4⁺T-cell subsets in pulmonary tissue in mice with DSS-induced acute colitis. In conclusion, Ala-Gln alleviates DSS-induced acute colitis by regulating the gut microflora and PI3K-Akt/NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathways, as well as by alleviating accompanying pulmonary injury.

Sauchinone alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis via NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1/NF-kB pathway and gut microbiota

Objective

This study evaluated the effects of sauchinone on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mice model and investigated the underlying mechanisms of the downstream pathway and gut microbiota.

Methods

The UC mice model was induced by DSS. The disease phenotypes were determined through pathological symptoms (body weight and disease activity index score), inflammation markers (histological and inflammatory factor detections), and colonic mucosal barrier damage (detection of tight junction proteins). The level of the NF-κB pathway was detected through marker proteins. Database and bioinformatics analyses were used to predict sauchinone-mediated downstream molecules that were previously identified by expression analysis. Mouse feces were collected to detect the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.

Results

In DSS-induced UC mice, sauchinone alleviated pathological symptoms, inhibited inflammation, and prevented mucosal barrier damage. Sauchinone further inhibited the NF-κB pathway by upregulating NAD (P) H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (NQO1) in DSS-induced UC mice. Moreover, sauchinone regulated the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota in mice, stimulating the growth of Firmicutes and inhibiting the growth of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes.

Conclusion

Therefore, sauchinone exerted therapeutic effects on UC in mice by regulating the NQO1/NF-κB pathway and altering the gut microbiota. This provides a theoretical basis for developing sauchinone as a therapeutic agent and extends our understanding of its bioactivity.

Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis on the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Modified Sanmiaosan in Treating Ulcerative Colitis

Background

Modified Sanmiaosan is an effective cure in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, but its mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study revealed the pharmacological mechanisms of Modified Sanmiaosan acting on ulcerative colitis through a pharmacology approach.

Materials and Methods

The active compounds and the targets of Modified Sanmiaosan were selected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database according to the absorption and metabolism. The UC-related therapeutic targets were collected from the PharmGKB database, the GeneCards database, the GADA database, and the OMIM database. The networks of “drug-component-target-disease” and “herbal-component-target” were constructed by the Cytoscape software. Protein–protein interaction network was generated by the STRING database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed by the R software. Molecular docking technology was used to identify the affinity and activity between active compounds and targets.

Results

The 80 effective ingredients of MSM were collected. A total of 5180 UC-related genes and the 153 key targets of MSM and UC-related were obtained. JUN, Akt1, and MAPK1 were identified as the “hub targets” involved in the effects of Modified Sanmiaosan on ulcerative colitis. Hub targets were mainly involved in inflammatory response and oxidative stress. As the results of GO analysis, biological processes such as DNA-binding transcription and RNA polymerization may participate in the treatment process; KEGG pathway analysis showed that hub targets were mainly involved in IL-17 signal pathway and TNF signal pathway of ulcerative colitis. The high affinity and activity of the active compounds and targets were verified through molecular docking.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate the active ingredients in Modified Sanmiaosan reduce inflammatory response by TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways to treat ulcerative colitis. Anti-inflammation and immune regulation may be the main mechanism of Modified Sanmiaosan in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. This study not only provide new insights into the development of a natural therapy for the prevention and treatment of ulcerative colitis but also proves a feasible method for discovering potential activated compounds from Chinese herbs.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of the main active components in normal and ulcerative colitis rats after oral administration of Zingiberis Rhizoma-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma herb pair and its single herb extracts by LC-MS/MS

Zingiberis Rhizoma and Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma are usually used together for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in clinical practices. However, their compatibility mechanism remains unclear. In this study, a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for simultaneous quantification of ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, and 6-gingerol in rat plasma after oral administration of Zingiberis Rhizoma-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma herb pair and its single herb extracts. The calibration curves exhibited good linearity, with correlation coefficients of more than 0.993. The precision deviations of intra- and interday analysis were within 10.66%, and accuracy error ranged from -12.74 to 11.56%. The average recoveries of analytes were higher than 76.60% and the matrix effects were minimal. Thus, the validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of four ingredients in normal and ulcerative colitis rat plasma. The results indicated that the pharmacokinetic parameters of four analytes in normal and model groups showed significant differences. The larger exposure (the mean AUC0-t of ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, and 6-gingerol were increased by 50.93, 141.90, 3.68, and 37.25%, respectively) and slower elimination (the CLz/F of ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rg1, and 6-gingerol were decreased by 52.94, 83.64, and 32.18%, respectively) were observed in ulcerative colitis rats. Furthermore, compared with single herbs, the analytes in rat plasma after oral administration of combined extracts presented relatively high systemic exposure levels with AUC0-t > 2000 h·ng/mL and Cmax > 200 ng/mL. Collectively, the differences of pharmacokinetic characteristics revealed the synergistic effect of Zingiberis Rhizoma-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma herb pair, which provided a valuable and reliable basis for its clinical application in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Geniposide promotes splenic Treg differentiation to alleviate colonic inflammation and intestinal barrier injury in ulcerative colitis mice

Geniposide has been proven to have a therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis (UC) in animals, but its potential mechanism in UC remains to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to confirm the efficacy of geniposide in UC and to investigate the possible mechanism of geniposide in UC treatment. In vivo, geniposide relieved weight loss and reduced intestinal tissue damage in UC mice. Geniposide decreased the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α and increased IL-10 levels in the colon and serum of UC mice. Geniposide increased FOXP3 expression in the colon and the number of CD4+ FOXP3+ cells in the spleen of UC mice. BD750 abolished the above regulatory effect of GE on UC mice. In vitro, geniposide increased the number of CD4+ FOXP3+ cells in spleen cells from normal mice, decreased the levels of IL-1β, CCL2 and TNF-α in the supernatant of LPS-treated Caco-2 cells, and decreased the protein expression of Beclin-1 and Occludin in cacO-2 cells. Epirubicin inhibited the effect of geniposide on increasing the number of CD4+ FOXP3+ cells in spleen cells, attenuated the inhibitory effect of geniposide on proinflammatory factors and attenuated the upregulation of geniposide on tight junction proteins in LPS-treated Caco-2 cells in the coculture system. In conclusion, geniposide has an effective therapeutic effect on UC. Increasing Treg differentiation of spleen cells is the mechanism by which geniposide alleviates intestinal inflammation and barrier injury in UC.

The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)-Derived Compounds in Intestinal Disorders

Intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and colorectal cancer (CRC), are a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Epidemiological data have shown that IBD patients are at an increased risk for the development of CRC. IBD-associated cancer develops against a background of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, and their products contribute to cancer development and progression. Therefore, the discovery of novel drugs for the treatment of intestinal diseases is urgently needed. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been largely used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine. Licorice and its derived compounds possess antiallergic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. These pharmacological properties aid in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss the pharmacological potential of bioactive compounds derived from Licorice and addresses their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We also discuss how the mechanisms of action in these compounds can influence their effectiveness and lead to therapeutic effects on intestinal disorders.

Effects of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Ento-PB in Experimental Models of Ulcerative Colitis

The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula Ento-PB containing Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus) (Blattidae) and Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz. (Compositae) has great potential for treating inflammation. This study explored the effects of Ento-PB on ulcerative colitis (UC). The UC model was induced with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) by enema. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups: (1) control group that received 2.5 mL/kg normal saline, (2) TNBS group that received 2.5 mL/kg normal saline, (3) Ento-PB low-dose group that received 100 mg/kg Ento-PB, and (4) Ento-PB high-dose group that received 200 mg/kg Ento-PB. Rats were administered drugs via enema for 14 days after modeling. The disease activity index (DAI), colon mucosa damage index (CMDI), histopathological score (HS), levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-10, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum, contents of IL-2, myeloperoxidase (MPO), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the colon, and abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Bacteroides, and Escherichia coli were assessed. Ento-PB administration showed a significant reduction in DAI, CMDI, and HS, contents of IL-2, IL-8, IL-17, TNF-α, CRP, and MPO, and a significant increase in the levels of IL-10, TGF-β1, and EGF. Compared with the TNBS-administered group, the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and E. coli decreased, while an obvious increase in the proportion of Bacteroides was found in the Ento-PB-administered groups. Ento-PB alleviated inflammation in UC by regulating the equilibrium of Th1/Th17/Treg cytokines and recovering the imbalance between the gut microbiota. Applying Ento-PB in treating UC could be suggested.

Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics Combined With Traditional Chinese Medicine for Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The combination of probiotics and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a prospective therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC), and its efficacy and safety need to be urgently evaluated.

Objective: This study aims to comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of probiotics combined with TCM for the treatment of UC.

Methods: The Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, China Academic Journals (CNKI), Wan-fang database, Chinese biomedical literature service system (CBM), and Chinese Science and Technology Journals (CQVIP) were searched. Subgroup analysis were designed in accordance with different control drugs, treatment courses, and types of probiotics. The Review Manager software (version 5.4.1) was utilized for statistical analysis.

Results: 14 original studies containing 1,154 patients were analyzed and showed that probiotics with TCM was more effective than 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), probiotics or TCM used individually. Moreover, probiotics combined with TCM could inhibit the intestinal inflammation, reduce the recurrence rate and the incidence of adverse events. The subgroup analysis showed that a mixture of different probiotics was more effective than a single strain.

Conclusion: It is suggested that probiotics combined with TCM could effectively control clinical symptoms, inhibit intestinal inflammatory response, and finally slow down the disease progress and reduce the disease recurrence with less adverse events. The mixture of different probiotics used in conjunction with individually tailored TCM is a potential clinical strategy for UC.

Natural Products Modulate Cell Apoptosis: A Promising Way for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease impacting patients’ quality of life and imposing heavy societal and economic burdens. Apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) has been considered an early event during the onset of UC and plays a crucial role in disease development. Thus, effectively inhibiting apoptosis of IECs is of critical significance for the clinical management of UC, presenting a potential direction for the research and development of pharmacotherapeutic agents. In recent years, research on the ameliorative effects of natural products on UC through inhibiting IECs apoptosis has attracted increasing attention and made remarkable achievements in ameliorating UC. In this review, we summarized the currently available research about the anti-apoptotic effects of natural products on UC and its mechanisms involving the death-receptor mediated pathway, mitochondrial-dependent pathway, ERS-mediated pathway, MAPK-mediated pathway, NF-κB mediated pathway, P13k/Akt pathway, JAK/STAT3 pathway, and NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 pathway. Hopefully, this review may yield useful information about the anti-apoptotic effects of natural products on UC and their potential molecular mechanisms and provide helpful insights for further investigations.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (Danshen) for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Evidence and Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy for Developing Supplementary Medical Application

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a non-specific colorectal disease caused by multifaceted triggers. Although conventional treatments are effective in the management of IBD, high cost and frequent side effects limit their applications and have turned sufferers toward alternative and complementary approaches. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge (Danshen) is an herbal medicine that reportedly alleviates the symptoms of IBD. A large body of research, including clinical trials in which Danshen-based products or botanical compounds were used, has unmasked its multiple mechanisms of action, but no review has focused on its efficacy as a treatment for IBD. Here, we discussed triggers of IBD, collected relevant clinical trials and analyzed experimental reports, in which bioactive compounds of Danshen attenuated rodent colitis in the management of intestinal integrity, gut microflora, cell death, immune conditions, cytokines, and free radicals. A network pharmacology approach was applied to describe sophisticated mechanisms in a holistic view. The safety of Danshen was also discussed. This review of evidence will help to better understand the potential benefits of Danshen for IBD treatment and provide insights for the development of innovative applications of Danshen.

Zhikang Capsule Ameliorates Inflammation, Drives Polarization to M2 Macrophages, and Inhibits Apoptosis in Lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 Cells

OBJECTIVE

To explore the anti-inflammatory effect of the traditional Chinese medicine Zhikang capsule (ZKC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells.

METHODS

Safe concentrations of ZKC (0.175, 0.35, and 0.7 mg/mL) were used after the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of RAW264.7 cells was calculated through the CCK-8 assay. In addition, the optimal intervention duration of ZKC (0.7 mg/mL) on RAW264.7 cells was determined to be 6 h, since all proinflammatory mediators [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), inteleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)] had a decreasing tendency and relatively down-regulated mRNA expression levels as compared with other durations (4, 8, and 12 h). RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with ZKC at various concentrations (0.175, 0.35 and 0.7 mg/mL) for 6 h and then stimulated with LPS (1 µg/mL) for an additional 12 h.

RESULTS

In terms of inflammation, ZKC could reverse LPS-induced upregulation of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, iNOS, and MCP-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels in RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In terms of the NF-κB signaling pathway, ZKC could reduce phosphorylated p65 and promote M2 polarization of RAW264.7 cells under LPS stimulation in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ZKC exhibited a protective effect on macrophages from apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

ZKC exhibited obvious antiinflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells at the cellular level, and a weakened NF-κB signaling pathway may be a potential significant target.

Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of Scutellariae radix-Coptidis rhizoma Drug Pair for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

This study aims to analyze the targets of the effective active ingredients of Scutellariae radix-Coptidis rhizoma drug pair (SCDP) in ulcerative colitis (UC) by network pharmacology and molecular docking and to explore the associated therapeutic mechanism. The effective active ingredients and targets of SCDP were determined from the TCMSP database, and the drug ingredient-target network was constructed using the Cytoscape software. The disease targets related to UC were searched in GeneCards, DisGeNET, OMIM, and DrugBank databases. Then, the drug ingredient and disease targets were intersected to construct a protein-protein interaction network through the STRING database. The Metascape database was used for the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of the predicted targets of SCDP for UC. The Autodock software was used for molecular docking between the main active ingredient and the core target to evaluate the binding ability. SCDP has 43 effective active ingredients and 134 intersection targets. Core targets included AKT1, TP53, IL-6, VEGFA, CASP3, JUN, TNF, MYC, EGFR, and PTGS2. GO functional enrichment analysis showed that biological process was mainly associated with a cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, response to an inorganic substance, response to a toxic substance, response to lipopolysaccharide, reactive oxygen species metabolic process, positive regulation of cell death, apoptotic signaling pathway, and response to wounding. KEGG enrichment analysis showed main pathway concentrations were related to pathways in cancer, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, bladder cancer, IL-17 signaling pathway, apoptosis, p53 signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The drug active ingredient-core target-key pathway network contains 41 nodes and 108 edges, of which quercetin, wogonin, baicalein, acacetin, oroxylin A, and beta-sitosterol are important active ingredients; PTGS2, CASP3, TP53, IL-6, TNF, and AKT1 are important targets; and the pathways involved in UC treatment include pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic, apoptosis, IL-17 signaling pathway and herpes simplex infection. The active ingredient has a good binding capacity to the core target. SCDP key active ingredients are mainly quercetin, wogonin, baicalein, acacetin, oroxylin A, and beta-sitosterol, which function mainly by regulating targets, such as PTGS2, CASP3, TP53, IL-6, TNF, and AKT1, and are associated with multiple signaling pathways as pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, apoptosis, IL-17 signaling pathways.

Phytochemicals Targeting JAK-STAT Pathways in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Insights from Animal Models

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that consists of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Cytokines are thought to be key mediators of inflammation-mediated pathological processes of IBD. These cytokines play a crucial role through the Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathways. Several small molecules inhibiting JAK have been used in clinical trials, and one of them has been approved for IBD treatment. Many anti-inflammatory phytochemicals have been shown to have potential as new drugs for IBD treatment. This review describes the significance of the JAK–STAT pathway as a current therapeutic target for IBD and discusses the recent findings that phytochemicals can ameliorate disease symptoms by affecting the JAK–STAT pathway in vivo in IBD disease models. Thus, we suggest that phytochemicals modulating JAK–STAT pathways are potential candidates for developing new therapeutic drugs, alternative medicines, and nutraceutical agents for the treatment of IBD.

Uncovering the mechanism of Ge-Gen-Qin-Lian decoction for treating ulcerative colitis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking verification

Background: Ge-Gen-Qin-Lian Decoction (GGQLD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been widely used for ulcerative colitis (UC) in China, but the pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. This research was designed to clarify the underlying pharmacological mechanism of GGQLD against UC.

Method: In this research, a GGQLD-compound-target-UC network was constructed based on public databases to clarify the relationship between active compounds in GGQLD and potential targets. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to investigate biological functions associated with potential targets. A protein–protein interaction network was constructed to screen and evaluate hub genes and key active ingredients. Molecular docking was used to verify the activities of binding between hub targets and ingredients.

Results: Finally, 83 potential therapeutic targets and 118 corresponding active ingredients were obtained by network pharmacology. Quercetin, kaempferol, wogonin, baicalein, and naringenin were identified as potential candidate ingredients. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that GGQLD had anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and immunomodulatory effects. The effect of GGQLD on UC might be achieved by regulating the balance of cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF, IL-1β, CXCL8, CCL2) in the immune system and inflammation-related pathways, such as the IL-17 pathway and the Th17 cell differentiation pathway. In addition, molecular docking results demonstrated that the main active ingredient, quercetin, exhibited good affinity to hub targets.

Conclusion: This research fully reflects the multicomponent and multitarget characteristics of GGQLD in the treatment of UC. Furthermore, the present study provided new insight into the mechanisms of GGQLD against UC.

Integrative transcriptomic and metabonomic profiling analyses reveal the molecular mechanism of Chinese traditional medicine huankuile suspension on TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Huankuile suspension (HKL), a typical traditional Chinese medicine, on ulcerative colitis (UC) in a rat model. UC model was established by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) enema. Then, the rats were randomly divided into three groups: water treated group, HKL treated group and 5- amino salicylic acid (5-ASA) treated group. After 7 days treatment, the histological score in the HKL treated group was comparable with those in the control group. qRT-PCR and western blot demonstrated that HKL could significantly decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, while having less effect on anti-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-10. Transcriptomic analysis identified 670 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HKL treated UC rats and water treated UC rats. These DEGs were mostly related with immune response. Besides, metabonomic profile revealed 136 differential metabolites which were significantly enriched in “pyrimidine metabolism”, “glutathione metabolism”, “purine metabolism” and “citrate cycle”. Finally, integrated analysis revealed that metabonomic pathways including “steroid hormone biosynthesis”, “pyrimidine metabolism”, “purine metabolism”, and “glutathione metabolism” were altered by HKL at both transcriptomic and metabonomic levels. HKL could inhibit inflammation and regulate bile metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, glutathione metabolism and citrate cycle.

Revealing mechanism of Caulis Sargentodoxae for the treatment of ulcerative colitis based on network pharmacology approach

Objective: The traditional Chinese medicine Caulis Sargentodoxae is widely used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), but the mechanism remains unknown. The present study aims to reveal its effective components, targets and pathways through network pharmacology and bioinformatics approaches.

Materials and methods: Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was used to identify effective components. The ligand-based targets prediction was achieved through SwissTargetPrediction and TargetNet. UC-related targets were identified using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data and DisGeNET. The common targets of disease and components were constructed and analyzed by PPI network. Lastly, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses are used to explain the functions of these common targets. Components-Targets-Pathways network was visualized and analyzed to further reveal the connection between the components and targets.

Results: Eight active components and 102 key targets were identified to play an important role in UC. These targets were related to regulation of protein serine/threonine kinase activity, positive regulation of cell motility, response to molecule of bacterial origin, response to toxic substance, ERK1 and ERK2 cascade, peptidyl-tyrosine modification, inositol lipid-mediated signaling, cellular response to drug, regulation of inflammatory response and leukocyte migration. Moreover, HIF-1 signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway were the key targets involved in UC-related signaling pathways.

Conclusion: The eight active components of Caulis Sargentodoxae mainly play a therapeutic role for UC through synergistic regulation of HIF-1 signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

Efficacy and Safety of Sophora flavescens (Kushen) Based Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: Clinical Evidence and Potential Mechanisms

Background: Radix Sophorae flavescentis (Kushen), a Chinese herb, is widely used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) with damp-heat accumulation syndrome (DHAS) according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Objective: The aim of this study was to illuminate the clinical efficacy and potential mechanisms of Kushen-based TCM formulations in the treatment of UC with DHAS. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Chongqing VIP Information database, and Wanfang database for articles published between January 2000 and July 2020 on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used Kushen-based TCM formulations in the treatment of UC with DHAS. A network pharmacology approach was conducted to detect the potential pathways of Kushen against UC with DHAS. Results: Eight RCTs with a total of 983 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the control subjects (5-aminosalicylic acid therapy), those who received Kushen-based TCM formulations for the treatment of UC showed a significantly higher clinical remission rate (RR = 1.20, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.38], p = 0.02) and lower incidence of adverse events (RR = 0.63, 95% CI [0.39, 1.01], p = 0.06). A component-target-pathway network was constructed, indicating five main components (quercetin, luteolin, matrine, formononetin, and phaseolin), three major targets (Interleukin-6, Myc proto-oncogene protein, and G1/S-specific cyclin-D1) and one key potential therapeutic pathway (PI3K-Akt signaling) of Kushen against UC with DHAS. Conclusion: Kushen-based TCM formulations provide good efficacy and possess great potential in the treatment of UC. Large-scale and high-quality clinical trials and experimental verification should be considered for further confirmation of the efficacy of Kushen-based formulations.

The Therapeutic Effect of Shark Liver Oil in a Rat Model of Acetic Acid-Induced Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the most well-known types of inflammatory bowel disease that manifests as recurrent inflammation of rectum and colon. The goal of this study is to evaluate the protective effects of shark liver oil (SLO) on acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Eighty induced UC rats were randomly divided into ten equal groups and received the following treatments for seven days: 1 ml of normal saline rectally, 1 ml of gel base (carboxymethyl cellulose) rectally, 10 mg/kg of Asacol rectally, 10 mg/kg of mesalazine orally, 5% gel form of SLO rectally, 10% gel form of SLO rectally, 200 mg of SLO orally, and 400 mg of SLO orally. We examined the oxidative stress indices, histopathological features, and body weight changes, as well as the function of the liver and kidneys at the end of treatment. Administration of 10% rectal and 400 mg oral SLO resulted in a significant weight gain. Also, glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher in 5% and 10% SLO-treated groups, and elevated superoxide dismutase activity in rats that received 5% SLO was observed compared to negative control and Asacol groups. While no significant changes were observed in most of the kidney and liver function markers, higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase were detected in the group that received 400 mg SLO orally compared to negative control and Asacol groups. Many histopathological signs of improvement were observed in mesalazine, Asacol, and SLO groups. There were no significant changes detected in the mean rank among different groups. Our data indicate that SLO supplementation could improve the amelioration of acetic acid-induced UC in rats due to its antioxidant effects.

Lactoferrin-mediated macrophage targeting delivery and patchouli alcohol-based therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are the incurable chronic recurrent gastrointestinal disorders and currently lack in safe and effective drugs. In this study, patchouli alcohol, a main active compound of traditional Chinese herb patchouli, was developed into biomimetic liposomes for macrophage-targeting delivery for IBD treatment. The developed lactoferrin-modified liposomes (LF-lipo) can specifically bind to LRP-1 expressed on the activated colonic macrophages and achieve cell-targeting anti-inflammatory therapy. LF-lipo reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines and ROS and suppressed the MAPK/NF-κB pathway. LF-lipo also suppressed the formation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the consequent IL-1β activation. LF-lipo showed improved therapeutic efficacy in a DSS-induced colitis murine model, evidenced by the reduced disease activity index, the improved colon functions, and the downregulated inflammatory cytokines in the colon. LF-lipo provided an effective and safe macrophage-targeting delivery and therapeutic strategy for addressing the unmet medical need in IBD management.

Pingkui Enema Alleviates TNBS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Regulation of Inflammatory Factors, Gut Bifidobacterium, and Intestinal Mucosal Barrier in Rats

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic recurrent inflammation of the colon, and clinical outcome of UC is still unsatisfied. Pingkui enema, a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been safely applied for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery in clinic for many years. However, its mechanism is still elusive. The present study is designed to investigate the effect of Pingkui enema on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid- (TNBS-) induced ulcerative colitis (UC) and possible mechanism in rats.

Methods

UC was induced by intracolonic instillation of TNBS in male Sprague-Dawley rats, which were treated with different dosages of Pingkui enema (low, medium, and high) or sulfasalazine for ten days. Survival rate was calculated. A clinical disease activity score was evaluated. Histological colitis severity was analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Content of Bifidobacterium in intestinal tissue was analyzed by RT-PCR. Concentration of IL-8, IL-13, TNF-α, D-lactic acid (D-LA), and diamine oxidase (DAO) in serum and contents of adhesin and receptor of Bifidobacterium adhesion in rat intestinal mucus were measured by ELISA.

Results

The results showed that Pingkui enema treatment with high dosage markedly improved the survival rate compared with untreated and sulfasalazine treated groups. All dosages of Pingkui enema reduced pathological score. High dosage of Pingkui enema and sulfasalazine treatments significantly reduced the serum concentration of IL-8, TNF-α, D-LA, and DAO and markedly increased the serum concentration of IL-13. In addition, high-dose Pingkui enema and sulfasalazine treatments increased gut content of Bifidobacterium, gut mucus expressions of adhesin, and adhesin receptor of Bifidobacterium.

Conclusions

Pingkui enema has therapeutic effect on TNBS-induced UC, and possible mechanism may be via regulation of gut probiotics (Bifidobacterium) and inflammatory factors and protection of intestinal mucosal barrier.

Integrating Pharmacology and Microbial Network Analysis with Experimental Validation to Reveal the Mechanism of Composite Sophora Colon-Soluble Capsule against Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) has multifactorial pathogenesis that acts synergistically, such as immune system dysregulation and expansion of infectious gut microbiota. Therefore, a multicomponent treatment derived from Chinese herbal medicine that interacts with multiple targets synergistically is needed. Composite sophora colon-soluble capsule (CSCC) is a Chinese herbal formula that has shown therapeutic efficacy against UC in randomized clinical trials. However, its bioactive components and potential target genes against UC remain unclear. Here, we used a network pharmacology approach to detect component-target-pathway interactions of CSCC against UC. A total of 29 gene targets, 91 bioactive components, and 20 enriched pathways of CSCC were identified. The IL-17 signaling pathway activated by infectious gastrointestinal microbes and predicted by the network analysis to be a major pathway modulated by CSCC against UC was studied in a dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis model. CSCC showed remarkable efficacy against UC with respect to the attenuation of colon length, body weight loss, and disease activity index through gut microbiota recovery and intestinal immune homeostasis. The rectal administration of CSCC reduced the numbers of Th17 cells isolated from both mesenteric lymph nodes and lamina propria mononuclear cells and the levels of IL-17A, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α. Additionally, the percentage of Treg cells and the levels of their hallmark cytokines were upregulated. Rectal administration of CSCC led to microbiota regulation with a significant correlation between suppression of Verrucomicrobiaceae and Ruminococcaceae, as well as the elevation of Lactobacillaceae, and CSCC administration via microbiome correlation heatmaps and cooccurrence network analysis at multiple time points. Thus, our study presents an effective herbal formula, CSCC, for UC treatment and explores its components and mechanisms of efficacy through the examination of gut microbiota and hallmark cytokines in the IL-17 pathway.