ABSTRACT
This work aimed to investigate the preventive effect of Smilax china L. polysaccharide (SCP) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Smilax china L. polysaccharide was isolated by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, deproteinization, and purification using DEAE-cellulose column chromatography to yield three polysaccharides: SCP_C, SCP_A, and SCP_N. Acute colitis was induced by administering 3% (w/v) DSS in drinking water for 7 days. Sulfasalazine, SCP_C, SCP_A, and SCP_N were administered by gavage for 9 days. SCP_C, SCP_A, and SCP_N could significantly improve symptoms, as evidenced by the declining disease activity index (DAI), decreased spleen weight, increased length of the colon, and improved colonic histology. Moreover, SCP_C, SCP_A, and SCP_N increased serum glutathione and decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and myeloperoxidase in colon tissues. Additionally, SCP_C, SCP_A, and SCP_N modulated gut microbiota via ascending the growth of Lachnospiraceae, Muribaculaceae, Blautia, and Mucispirillum and descending the abundance of Akkermansiaceae, Deferribacteraceae, and Oscillibacter in mice with UC. The results suggested that Smilax china L. polysaccharide ameliorates oxidative stress, balances inflammatory cytokines, and modulates gut microbiota, providing an effective therapeutic strategy for UC in mice.
ABSTRACT
Smilax china L. is used not only as a kind of traditional Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients with various pharmacological properties, but also as food in certain parts of China. However, it is by far still unclear whether Smilax china L. polyphenols (SCP), as important bioactive constituents in Smilax china L., have effects on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This study investigated the impact of SCP on the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced IBD and gut microbiota in mice. SCP treatments ameliorated typical symptoms of IBD as what was reflected through suppressing body weight loss, colonic shortening, intestinal barrier damage, and increasing intestinal disease activity index. SCP treatments simultaneously decreased the release of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress, as well as promoted the release of anti-inflammatory factors. Furthermore, SCP ameliorated the ecological imbalance of gut microbiota and regulated the key bacteria associated with IBD (including Akkermansiaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Acidaminococcaceae, Muribaculaceae, and Anaeroplasmataceae). In general, SCP may improve DSS-induced IBD in mice by regulating inflammatory factors, inhibiting oxidative stress, reducing intestinal tissue damage, and regulating the ecological imbalance of intestinal microbiota. Thus, SCP might serve as a potential therapeutic agent against the inflammation-driven diseases.
Subject(s)
Colitis , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases , Smilax , Animals , Colitis/drug therapy , Colon , Cytokines , Dextran Sulfate/adverse effects , Disease Models, Animal , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/chemically induced , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/drug therapy , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Polyphenols/pharmacologyABSTRACT
The aim of this study is to investigate hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of Pine needle polysaccharide (PNP) from Pinus massoniana in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice. PNP could significantly improve the serum lipid levels (total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), enhance the antioxidant enzymes levels (total antioxidant capability, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase), and decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) content in HFD-induced mice. PNP exhibited distinct antioxidant ability on the superoxide anions, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) in vitro. The average molecular weight (Mw) of PNP was 6.17â¯×â¯105â¯Da, and mainly of fucose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, galacturonic acid. These results suggested that PNP might be used as functional foods and natural drugs in enhancing antioxidant ability and alleviating the hyperlipidemia.
