Telfairia occidentalis mitigates dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis in rats via suppression of oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and inflammation

Gastroprotective mechanism of Talinum triangulare on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in Wistar rats via inflammatory, antioxidant, and H+/K+-ATPase inhibition-mediated pathways

The increase in the incidence of gastric ulcer (GU) has posed major threat on public health. This research aimed to evaluate gastroprotective properties of the aqueous leaf extract of Talium triangulare (AETT) in ethanol-induced gastric ulceration. GU was induced via oral administration of single dose of 5 mLkg-1 of 90% ethanol in rats and protection of 200 mgkg-1 bw of AETT and 20 mgkg-1 bw of omeprazole was investigated for 14 d via oral treatment. Influence of AETT on anti-inflammatory, redox assays, ulcer index (UI), and gastric mucosa histological alterations were evaluated. Significant increase in myeloperoxidase (MPO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels compared to untreated group established gastric inflammation in rats induced by ethanol. Gastric ulcerated group exhibited heightened oxidative stress with concurrent decline in activities of antioxidant enzymes. Ethanol exposure to rats resulted in induction of lipid peroxidation, prominently elevating gastric malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Nevertheless, treatment with AETT or omeprazole exhibited substantial anti-inflammatory effects within gastric mucosa by attenuating expression of markers associated with inflammation. AETT demonstrated reduction in concentrations of MDA and H2O2, thereby alleviating progression of lipid peroxidation cascades. Also, AETT exhibited mitigating effect on ethanol-induced oxidative harm by enhancing the functionality of protective enzymes and elevating glutathione (GSH) concentration. Overall, AETT exhibited enhancements in activities of cytoprotective antioxidant enzymes, mitigated impact of oxidative stress and inflammation, inhibited lipid peroxidation, and decreased UI score. These beneficial effects could be attributed to phytochemicals present in AETT including 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone and Phytol. Outcome of this study established the traditional herbal claims of AETT.

Study on the ameliorative effect of honeysuckle on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Honeysuckle, first documented in the Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians, is known for its ability to expel toxin and cool blood to stop diarrhea. Modern pharmacological research has shown that honeysuckle has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and immune-regulating effects and is widely used in clinical practice. However, the effect of honeysuckle on ulcerative colitis (UC) is still not fully understood, which presents challenges for quality control, research and development.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory properties and mechanism of action of aqueous extracts of honeysuckle in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induced-ulcerative colitis mouse model was established, and the mice were divided into five groups: the control group, the model group, and the low, medium, and high dose honeysuckle treatment groups.

RESULTS

All dose groups of honeysuckle were found to significantly reduce IL-6 and TNF-α levels and regulate DSS-induced mRNA levels of CLDN4, COX-2, IL-6, INOS, MUC-2, occludin and NLRP3. The high-dose group displayed the most effective inhibition, and a differentially expressed mRNA detection indicated abnormal mRNA expression. The 16sRNA sequencing revealed that the honeysuckle was able to significantly upregulate the abundance of beneficial bacteria and downregulate the abundance of harmful bacteria. The study of short-chain fatty acids revealed that the levels of acetic, propionic, isobutyric, valeric and isovaleric acids were significantly increased after administering honeysuckle at medium and high doses.

CONCLUSION

Honeysuckle reduces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increases the content of short-chain fatty acids and restores the intestinal ecological balance, resulting in better therapeutic effects.

Water-soluble phenolics from Phoenix dactylifera fruits as potential reno-protective agent against cisplatin-induced toxicity: pre- and post-treatment strategies

Nephrotoxicity is the major side effect of cisplatin, an effective platinum-based chemotherapeutic drug that is applicable in the treatment of several solid-tissue cancers. Studies have indicated that certain water-soluble phenolics offer renal protection. Thus, this study investigates the role of pre and post-treatment of rats with water-soluble phenolics from Phoenix dactylifera (PdP) against nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin. Rats were either orally pretreated or post-treated with 200 mg/kg body weight of PdP before or after exposure to a single therapeutic dose of cisplatin (5 mg/kg body weight) for 7 successive days intraperitoneally. The protective effects of PdP against Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity was based on the evaluation of various biochemical and redox biomarkers, together with histopathological examination of kidney tissues. The composition, structural features, and antioxidative influence of PdP were determined based on chromatographic, spectroscopic, and in vitro antioxidative models. Cisplatin single exposure led to a substantial increase in the tested renal function biomarkers (uric acid, creatinine, and urea levels), associated with an increase in malondialdehyde indicating lipid peroxidation and a significant decline (p < 0.05) in reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the renal tissue when compared with the control group. A marked decline exists in the kidney antioxidant enzymes (catalase, SOD, and GPx). Nevertheless, treatment with PdP significantly suppressed the heightened renal function markers, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative stress. Spectroscopic analysis revealed significant medicinal phenolics, and in vitro tests demonstrated antioxidative properties. Taken together, results from this study indicate that pre- and/or post-treatment strategies of PdP could serve therapeutic purposes in cisplatin-induced renal damage.

Anti-inflammatory natural products modulate interleukins and their related signaling markers in inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review

This review aims to identify in vivo studies investigating the potential of plant substances and their natural molecules in managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Specifically, the objective is to examine the impact of these substances on interleukins and other key inflammatory signaling markers. Relevant articles published up to December 2022 were identified through a search of the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The search used keywords including "inflammatory bowel disease", "medicinal plants", "natural molecules", "anti-inflammatory", and "ulcerative colitis", and identified 1,878 potentially relevant articles, of which 89 were included in this review after completion of the selection process. This study provides preclinical data on natural products (NPs) that can potentially treat IBD, including ulcerative colitis. The main actions of these NPs relate to their effects on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway, the regulation of T helper 17/regulatory T cells balance, and oxidative stress. The ability of these NPs to inhibit intestinal inflammation appears to be dependent on lowering levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-17, via the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)1, NF-κβ-p65, and STAT3 pathways. In addition, NPs were shown to reduce oxidative stress and the severity of ulcerative colitis, as well as increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. These actions suggest that NPs represent a promising treatment for IBD, and potentially have greater efficacy and safety than current treatments.

Cotinus coggygria Scop. Attenuates Acetic Acid-Induced Colitis in Rats by Regulation of Inflammatory Mediators

In traditional medicine, many medicinal plants are used in the treatment of various diseases caused by inflammation. The objective of the present study is to elucidate for the first time the effects of Cotinus coggygria (CC) ethanol extract (CCE) on colonic structure and inflammation of acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Colonic damage was assessed using disease activity index score, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Also, in vitro antioxidant activity of CCE was investigated by ABTS methods. Total phytochemical content of CCE was measured spectroscopically. Acetic acid caused colonic damage according to disease activity index and macroscopic scoring. CCE significantly reversed these damages. While the levels of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and TGF-1beta increased in tissue with UC, IL-10 level decreased. CCE increased inflammatory cytokine levels to values close to the sham group. At the same time, while markers indicating disease severity such as VEGF, COX-2, PGE2, and 8-OHdG indicated the disease in the colitis group, these values returned to normal with CCE. Histological research results support biochemical analysis. CCE exhibited significant antioxidant against ABTS radical. Also, CCE was found to have a high content of total polyphenolic compounds. These findings provide evidence that CCE might be benefit as a promising novel therapy in the treatment of UC in humans due to high polyphenol content and justify the use of CC in folkloric medicine for treatment of inflamed diseases.

Total flavone of flowers of Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medic inhibits the expression of adhesion molecules in primary mesenteric arterial endothelial cells and ameliorates dextran sodium sulphate-induced ulcerative colitis in mice

BACKGROUND

Flowers of Abelmoschus manihot (L.) medic (AM) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat chronic nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, diabetic nephropathy, and colonic inflammation.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the influence of the total flavone of AM flowers (TFA) on acute ulcerative colitis (UC) and the potential underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Efficacy of TFA (30, 60, 120 mg/kg) on UC was evaluated in a dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colonic inflammatory mouse model by analyzing disease activity index (DAI), histopathological score, colon length, and cytokine expression. Expression levels of critical adhesion molecules and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were examined by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, or immunofluorescence labeling. Myeloperoxidase activity was examined using ELISA. In vitro THP-1 adhesion assay was used to evaluate monocyte adhesion.

RESULTS

TFA significantly reduced DAI score, prevented colon shortening, and ameliorated histological injuries of colons in DSS-treated mice. TFA inhibited the expression of cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MAdCAM-1) in colon tissues of DSS mice. In vitro studies on mesenteric arterial endothelial cells (MAECs) showed that TFA attenuated TNF-α-induced upregulation of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MAdCAM-1, as well as THP-1 cell adhesion to MAECs. TFA also suppressed the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB in MAECs.

CONCLUSION

TFA efficaciously ameliorates UC possibly by inhibiting monocyte adhesion through blocking TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation, which in turn suppresses the upregulation of adhesive molecules in colon endothelial cells. Inhibiting the expression of adhesion molecule in MAECs may represent a useful strategy for therapeutic development to treat UC, with TFA being a safe and efficacious therapeutic agent.

Efficacy of selected Nigerian tropical plants in the treatment of COVID-19: in silico and in vitro investigations

The whole world is still challenged with COVID-19 pandemic caused by Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) which has affected millions of individuals around the globe. Although there are prophylactic vaccines being used, till now, there is ongoing research into discovery of drug candidates for total eradication of all types of coronaviruses. In this context, this study sought to investigate the inhibitory effects of six selected tropical plants against four pathogenic proteins of Coronavirus-2. The medicinal plants used in this study were selected based on their traditional applications in herbal medicine to treat COVID-19 and related symptoms. The biological activities (antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and anti-inflammatory activities) of the extracts of the plants were assessed using different standard procedures. The phytochemicals present in the extracts were identified using GCMS and further screened via in silico molecular docking. The data from this study demonstrated that the phytochemicals of the selected tropical medicinal plants displayed substantial binding affinity to the binding pockets of the four main pathogenic proteins of Coronavirus-2 indicating them as putative inhibitors of Coronavirus-2 and as potential anti-coronavirus drug candidates. The reaction between these phytocompounds and proteins of Coronavirus-2 could alter the pathophysiology of COVID-19, thus mitigating its pathogenic reactions/activities. In conclusion, phytocompounds of these plants exhibited promising binding efficiency with target proteins of SARS-COV-2. Nevertheless, in vitro and in vivo studies are important to potentiate these findings. Other drug techniques or models are vital to elucidate their compatibility and usage as adjuvants in vaccine development against the highly contagious COVID-19 infection.

Animal Models and Pathogenesis of Ulcerative Colitis

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a kind of inflammatory bowel disease which is needed to be predicted.

Objective

To analyze various animal models of UC conditions and summarizes the animal selection, model progression, and pathogenic mechanisms of UC animal models.

Methods

We surveyed the research papers published in PubMed, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, SciFinder, and Web of Science in the past 5 years and discussed the experimental animals, modeling methods, and pathogenic mechanisms.

Results

In the selection of experimental animals, rats are considered the best experimental animals. The mainstream modeling methods can be categorized into the chemical stimulation method, immune stimulation method, and compound method, among which the compound method is the most successful. In the study of the pathogenesis of UC, the pathogenesis of UC is due to various pathogenic factors, such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins (PG), proinflammatory factors (IL, TNF-α), and intestinal flora.

Conclusion

The method of building an animal model of UC is well-established, providing a more targeted selection of animal models for future related experiments.

Polyphenol Rich Forsythia suspensa Extract Alleviates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice through the Nrf2-NLRP3 Pathway

This study systematically evaluated the effect of Forsythia suspensa extract on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) and determined its mechanism of action. The results showed that Forsythia suspensa extract significantly inhibited DSS-induced UC in mice. In vivo mechanistic studies revealed that Forsythia suspensa extract relieved the symptoms of colitis by enhancing antioxidant activity and inhibiting pyroptosis. Further in vitro experiments on the mechanism of Forsythia suspensa showed that it reduced the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in J774A.1 cells. We found that Forsythia suspensa extract enhanced cellular antioxidation activity and inhibited pyroptosis. After silencing NLRP3, it was found to play an important role in pyroptosis. In addition, after Nrf2 was silenced, the inhibitory effect of Forsythia suspensa extract on cell pyroptosis was eliminated, indicating an interaction between Nrf2 and NLRP3. Metabonomics revealed that Forsythia suspensa extract significantly improved metabolic function in colitis mice by reversing the abnormal changes in the levels of 9 metabolites. The main metabolic pathways involved were glutathione metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and linoleic acid metabolism. In conclusion, we found that Forsythia suspensa extract significantly alleviated DSS-induced UC injury through the Nrf2-NLRP3 pathway and relieved metabolic dysfunction.