Ursolic Acid Protects Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Induced Drosophila Ulcerative Colitis Model by Inhibiting the JNK Signaling

Xihuang pill ameliorates colitis in mice by improving mucosal barrier injury and inhibiting inflammatory cell filtration through network regulation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The prevalence of colitis is on the rise, and effective treatment options are currently lacking. Xihuang pill (XHP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula mentioned in the "Volume 4 of Surgical Evidence and Treatment of the Whole Life" authored by the renowned doctor Hong-Xu Wang during the Qing Dynasty. It is now part of the "Volume 9 of Chinese medicine formula preparation in Drug Standard." XHP and its primary ingredients have been demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties against colitis. However, the specific effects and underlying mechanisms of XHP in treating colitis remain unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of XHP on colitis and uncover the underlying mechanisms involved.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An acute colitis model was developed in C57BL/6N mice, and the effects on weight loss, colon length, the permeability of the colonic mucosa barrier, Claudin-5 and Occludin expression, number of both infiltrating MPO-positive cells and CD68-positive cells, and the content of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-22, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in the colon tissue were investigated. Low-, medium-, and high-dose XHP (0.45, 0.9, and 1.8 g/kg/day) (batch number: z21021222) were administered to the mice by gavage over the course of two weeks. Additionally, the protein expression levels in colon tissue from the control group, colitis group, and XHP low-dose administration group mice were analyzed by quantitative proteomics techniques. The comprehensive profiling and characterization of absorbed components in mice blood following oral administration of XHP were identified by HPLC/Q-TOF-MS techniques, and the absorbed components in blood were combined with proteomics to reveal the mechanism of enteritis inhibition by XHP.

RESULTS

Our findings indicated that XHP enhanced weight loss and colonic shortening of colitis mice. Additionally, XHP reduced the increase in permeability of the colonic mucosa barrier and decreased expression of Claudin-5 and Occludin, while significantly reducing the number of infiltrating MPO-positive cells and CD68-positive cells in the colon tissue. We found that XHP reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-22, IL-1β, and TNF-α in colon tissue. Pharmacokinetic analysis suggested that XHP contained 24 blood-entering prototype ingredients, which improved colitis through the regulation of various proteins (e.g., Ctsb, Sting1, and Abat) linked to mucosal barrier injury and inflammation.

CONCLUSION

XHP improved intestinal mucosal barrier injury and reduced MPO-positive cells and CD68-positive cell infiltration through multiple targets and pathways, providing support for XHP as a promising therapy for colitis.

Silibinin alleviates intestinal inflammation via inhibiting JNK signaling in Drosophila

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by chronic relapsing intestinal inflammation that causes digestive system dysfunction. For years, researchers have been working to find more effective and safer therapeutic strategies to treat these diseases. Silibinin (SIL), a flavonoid compound extracted from the seeds of milk thistle plants, possesses multiple biological activities and is traditionally applied to treat liver diseases. SIL is also widely used in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases attributed to its excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the efficacy of SIL against IBDs and its mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, we found that SIL can effectively relieve intestinal inflammation caused by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Our results suggested that SIL supplementation can inhibit the overproliferation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) induced by DSS, protect intestinal barrier function, acid-base balance, and intestinal excretion function, reduce intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and inflammatory stress, and extend the lifespan of Drosophila. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that SIL ameliorates intestinal inflammation via modulating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway in Drosophila. Our research aims to provide new insight into the treatment of IBDs.

Newly discovered developmental and ovarian toxicity of 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol in Drosophila melanogaster and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside's protective effect

3-Monochloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) is a pervasive environmental pollutant that is unintentionally produced during industrial production and food processing. Although some studies reported the carcinogenicity and male reproduction toxicity of 3-MCPD thus far, it remains unexplored whether 3-MCPD hazards to female fertility and long-term development. In this study, the model Drosophila melanogaster was employed to evaluate risk assessment of emerging environmental contaminants 3-MCPD at various levels. We found that flies on dietary exposure to 3-MCPD incurred lethality in a concentration- and time-dependent way and interfered with metamorphosis and ovarian development, resulting in developmental retardance, ovarian deformity and female fecundity disorders. Mechanistically, 3-MCPD caused redox imbalance observed as a drastically increased oxidative status in ovaries, confirmed by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased antioxidant activities, which is probably responsible for female reproductive impairments and developmental retardance. Intriguingly, these defects can be substantially prevented by a natural antioxidant, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), further confirming a critical role of ovarian oxidative damage in the developmental and reproductive toxicity of 3-MCPD. The present study expanded the findings that 3-MCPD acts as a developmental and female reproductive toxicant, and our work provides a theoretical basis for the exploitation of a natural antioxidant resource as a dietary antidote for the reproductive and developmental hazards of environmental toxicants that act via increasing ROS in the target organ.

Deciphering the pharmacological mechanisms of Fraxini Cortex for ulcerative colitis treatment based on network pharmacology and in vivo studies

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common type of inflammatory bowel disease. Due to the elusive pathogenesis, safe and effective treatment strategies are still lacking. Fraxini Cortex (FC) has been widely used as a medicinal herb to treat some diseases. However, the pharmacological mechanisms of FC for UC treatment are still unclear.

METHODS

An integrated platform combining network pharmacology and experimental studies was introduced to decipher the mechanism of FC against UC. The active compounds, therapeutic targets, and the molecular mechanism of action were acquired by network pharmacology, and the interaction between the compounds and target proteins were verified by molecular docking. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model was employed to assess the therapeutic effect of FC on UC, and validate the molecular mechanisms of action predicted by network pharmacology.

RESULTS

A total of 20 bioactive compounds were retrieved, and 115 targets were predicted by using the online databases. Ursolic acid, fraxetin, beta-sitosterol, and esculetin were identified as the main active compounds of FC against UC. PPI network analysis identified 28 FC-UC hub genes that were mainly enriched in the IL-17 signaling pathway, the TNF signaling pathway, and pathways in cancer. Molecular docking confirmed that the active compounds had high binding affinities to the predicted target proteins. GEO dataset analysis showed that these target genes were highly expressed in the UC clinical samples compared with that in the healthy controls. Experimental studies showed that FC alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms, reduced inflammatory cytokines release, and suppressed the expression levels of IL1β, COX2, MMP3, IL-17 and RORγt in colon tissues.

CONCLUSION

FC exhibits anti-UC properties through regulating multi-targets and multi-pathways with multi-components. In vivo results demonstrated that FC alleviated DSS-induced colitis.

Protective effect of astragalus membranaceus and its bioactive compounds against the intestinal inflammation in Drosophila

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic and relapsing intestinal inflammation, which currently lacks safe and effective medicines. Astragalus membranaceus (AM), also named Huangqi, is one of the most commonly used fundamental herbs in China. Here, we aimed to investigate mechanism and bioactive compounds of AM on treating sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)- induced colitis in Drosophila flies. Our data showed that AM extract (AME) supplementation had no toxic effect in flies, and protected flies against SDS-induced lifespan shortening, intestinal morphological damage, and colon length shortening. Moreover, AME supplementation remarkably rescued SDS-induced intestinal stem cell (ISC) overproliferation and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in the intestine. Mechanistically, AME remarkably rescued the altered expression levels of genes and proteins in c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and JAK-STAT signaling pathways induced by SDS in gut. Additionally, formononetin, isoliquiritigenin, isorhamnetin, astragaloside I, astragaloside III, vanillic acid, and caffeic acid in AM had protection against SDS-induced inflammatory damage in flies. Taken together, AME could ameliorate the intestinal inflammation partially by suppressing oxidative stress-associated JNK signaling and JAK-STAT signaling pathways. AME may provide a theoretical basis for natural medicine toward treating intestinal inflammatory disease in human.

Using Drosophila melanogaster as a suitable platform for drug discovery from natural products in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and life-treating inflammatory disease that can occur in multiple parts of the human intestine and has become a worldwide problem with a continually increasing incidence. Because of its mild early symptoms, most of them will not attract people's attention and may cause more serious consequences. There is an urgent need for new therapeutics to prevent disease progression. Natural products have a variety of active ingredients, diverse biological activities, and low toxicity or side effects, which are the new options for preventing and treating the intestinal inflammatory diseases. Because of multiple genetic models, less ethical concerns, conserved signaling pathways with mammals, and low maintenance costs, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has become a suitable model for studying mechanism and treatment strategy of IBD. Here, we review the advantages of fly model as screening platform in drug discovery, describe the conserved molecular pathways as therapetic targets for IBD between mammals and flies, dissect the feasibility of Drosophila model in IBD research, and summarize the natural products for IBD treatment using flies. This review comprehensively elaborates that the benefit of flies as a perfact model to evaluate the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals against IBD.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products: Potential Approaches for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a rare, recurrent, and intractable inflammation obstruction of the stomach tract, usually accompanied by inflammation of cell proliferation and inflammation of the colon and carries a particular cause of inflammation. The clinical use of drugs in western countries affects IBD treatment, but various adverse effects and high prices limit their application. For these reasons, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is more advantageous in treating IBD. This paper reviews the mechanism and research status of TCM and natural products in IBD treatment by analyzing the relevant literature to provide a scientific and theoretical basis for IBD treatment.

Inflammatory auto-immune diseases of the intestine and their management by natural bioactive compounds

Autoimmune diseases are caused by the overactivity of the immune system towards self-constituents. Risk factors of autoimmune diseases are multiple and include genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and psychological. Autoimmune chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, including celiac and inflammatory diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), constitute a significant health problem worldwide. Besides the complexity of the symptoms of these diseases, their treatments have only been palliative. Numerous investigations showed that natural phytochemicals could be promising strategies to fight against these autoimmune diseases. In this respect, plant-derived natural compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids exhibited significant effects against three autoimmune diseases affecting the intestine, particularly bowel diseases. This review focuses on the role of natural compounds obtained from medicinal plants in modulating inflammatory auto-immune diseases of the intestine. It covers the most recent literature related to the effect of these natural compounds in the treatment and prevention of auto-immune diseases of the intestine.