Improvement of Oxazolone-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Rats Using Andrographolide

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is usually accompanied with symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stool, which impair the quality of life of patients. Previous studies have shown that Andrographis paniculata extracts, which have andrographolide (AND) as their main compound, can relieve UC symptoms in patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the alleviating effect of AND on UC using the oxazolone (OXZ)-induced UC rat model. A total of 66 healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were used to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of AND on UC (n = 11 per group) and grouped into control, model, SASP (sulfasalazine, positive control group, 500 mg/kg), AND-L (40 mg/kg), AND-M (80 mg/kg), and AND-H (120 mg/kg). The colonic disease activity index (DAI), colon length, spleen coefficient, pathological damage, and inflammation-related cytokine and protein expression levels were used as indices for evaluation. Results showed that the AND groups had reduced DAI and mortality, and significantly improved colon length and spleen coefficient compared with the model group. Furthermore, OXZ-induced histological injury was relieved significantly after AND treatment due to an improved crypt structure and reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells. Moreover, AND inhibited myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and the secretion of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The results of the anti-inflammatory mechanism revealed that AND blocked the signal transduction by reducing IL-4/IL-13 specific binding to IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) and inhibiting the phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (p-STAT6). In conclusion, aside from natural plants, AND may be a candidate ingredient for UC therapy.

Melatonin Mitigates Oxazolone-Induced Colitis in Microbiota-Dependent Manner

“…In contrast, secretion of amphiregulin (Areg) by group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) is indispensable for tissue repair in colitis, suggesting the complicated roles of type 2 immunity in different phases of UC ( 13 ). Oxazolone (Oxa) induces colitis in mice (involving type 2 cytokines), which recapitulates a similar immune response in the active stage of UC patients ( 14 , 15 ).…”

Escinosomes: Safe and Successful Nanovesicles to Deliver Andrographolide by a Subcutaneous Route in a Mice Model of Oxaliplatin-Induced Neuropathy

“…AG has anti-inflammatory, anti-edema, and anti-nociceptive activities and it represents a valuable natural complement in treating painful musculoskeletal diseases, like arthritis [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ] endometriosis, and colitis [ 28 , 29 , 30 ]. This natural compound has also been reported to relieve pain in animal models of neuropathic pain induced by HIV or spared nerve injury [ 31 , 32 ].…”

Polyphenols in the Fermentation Liquid of Dendrobium candidum Relieve Intestinal Inflammation in Zebrafish Through the Intestinal Microbiome-Mediated Immune Response

“…Oxazolone can cause Th2-type inflammation mediated by IL-4, which can lead to the aggregation of effector T cells and the release of a large number of cytokines, such as IL-10 and TNF-α ( 44 , 45 ). Severe inflammation can lead to damage to intestinal cells, exacerbating the oxidative stress response and ultimately damaging the intestinal barrier.…”