New approach of medicinal herbs and sulfasalazine mixture on ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate

摘要

BACKGROUND Sulfasalazine has been used as a standard-of-care in ulcerative colitis for decades,however,it results in severe adverse symptoms,such as hepatotoxicity,blood disorders,male infertility,and hypospermia.Accordingly,the new treatment strategy has to enhance pharmacological efficacy and stimultaneously minimize side effects.AIM To compare the anti-inflammatory action of sulfasalazine alone or in combination with herbal medicine for ulcerative colitis in a dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced colitis mouse model.METHODS To induce ulcerative colitis,mice received 5%DSS in drinking water for 7 d.Animals were divided into five groups(n=9 each)for use as normal(non-DSS),DSS controls,DSS+sulfasalazine(30 mg/kg)-treatment experimentals,DSS+sulfasalazine(60 mg/kg)-treatment experimentals,DSS+sulfasalazine(30 mg/kg)+Citrus unshiu peel and Bupleuri radix mixture(30 mg/kg)(SCPB)-treatment experimentals.RESULTS The SCPB treatment showed an outstanding effectiveness in counteracting the ulcerative colitis,as evidenced by reduction in body weight,improvement in crypt morphology,increase in antioxidant defenses,down-regulation of proinflammatory proteins and cytokines,and inhibition of proteins related to apoptosis.CONCLUSIONSCPB may represent a promising alternative therapeutic against ulcerative colitis,without inducing adverse effects.