Ding's herbal enema treats dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by regulating the gut microbiota and maintaining the Treg/Th17 cell balance.

Ding's herbal enema (DHEP) is a traditional Chinese medicinal therapy that has been used to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) in China. The present study determined the molecular mechanism of the effect of DHEP in UC treatment. C57BL/6J mice were treated with 3.5% (w/v) dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 7 days to establish an animal model of colitis. The mice were divided into five groups (n=5): Control, vehicle, DHEP, mesalazine and ß-sitosterol. After oral administration for 7 days, the body weight, disease activity index, histopathology and inflammatory factors were analyzed. The fractions of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and CD4+IL-17A+ T helper (Th) cells were determined by flow cytometry. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed by next-generation sequencing. The results revealed that DHEP and ß-sitosterol could significantly alleviate the symptoms of DSS-induced UC. Furthermore, the levels of IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, TNF-α and p65 were reduced after administration of DHEP. Additionally, the data indicated that DHEP could increase the abundance of seven operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and decrease the abundance of 12 OTUs in the gut microbiota. The content of short-chain fatty acids in the colon remodeled the balance of Treg/Th17 cells in DSS-induced UC in mice. The present study preliminarily defined the mechanism of action of DHEP in UC that may be associated with the regulation of the gut microbiota composition, and maintenance of the balance between Treg and Th17 cells. Furthermore, ß-sitosterol exhibited the same effects with DHEP and it could be a possible substitute for DHEP in UC treatment.

ß-Sitosterol improves experimental colitis in mice with a target against pathogenic bacteria.

In this article, we aim to examine the novel effects of ß-sitosterol on murine experimental colitis. ß-Sitosterol significantly reduces the weight loss, colon length, and alleviated microscopic appearances of colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium. This compound also decreases the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in intestinal tissue of mice with experimental colitis in a concentration-dependent manner. ß-Sitosterol treatment to intestinal epithelial cells significantly increases expression of antimicrobial peptides and reduces survival of intracellular Salmonella typhimurium. These results showed the multiple effects of ß-sitosterol against pathogenic bacteria for a novel approach to the treatment of colonic inflammation.

[Dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound study on levator ani muscle fissures for female pelvic floor relaxation syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound in detecting the levator ani muscle fissures morphological changes of female pelvic floor relaxation syndrome after biofeedback and acupuncture treatments. METHODS: Forty female constipation patients with pelvic floor relaxation syndrome were screened from the Constipation Designed Disease Clinic in our hospital between October 2011 and September 2012. Cleveland Constipation Score (CCS) scale was used. Anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the levator ani muscle fissures were measured by dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound in Valsalva maneuver. After a course (10 days) of biofeedback and acupuncture treatments, CCS scale was filled, and dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound was performed in Valsalva maneuver as well. Associated data before and after treatment were compared. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients completed the trial. As compared to pre-treatment, the longitudinal axes of levator ani muscle fissure [(4.89±0.89) cm vs. (5.13±0.82) cm, P<0.01], the horizontal axes of the levator ani muscle fissure [(4.62±0.75) cm vs. (4.86±0.74) cm, P<0.01], and the area of the levator ani muscle fissure [(18.16±6.42) cm(2) vs. (19.92±6.33) cm(2), P<0.01] decreased significantly after treatment, while CCS scale (9.52±2.50 vs. 15.80±3.42, P<0.01) declined significantly as well. CONCLUSIONS: The dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound is an effective, simple and non-invasive method for the determination of levator ani muscle fissure in female patients with pelvic floor relaxation syndrome.