Open Access

Leonurine protects against ulcerative colitis by alleviating inflammation and modulating intestinal microflora in mouse models

  • Authors:
    • Suna Zheng
    • Tianchi Zhuang
    • Yajun Tang
    • Ruihan Wu
    • Ting Xu
    • Tian Leng
    • Yao Wang
    • Zheng Lin
    • Minghui Ji
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 23, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10633
  • Article Number: 1199
  • Copyright: © Zheng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of leonurine (YMJ) on inflammation and intestinal microflora in colonic tissues of a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‑induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mouse model. Mice were randomly divided into control (n=5), DSS (n=5, treated with DSS) and DSS+YMJ (n=5, treated with DSS and YMJ) groups.Body weight was recorded, disease activity index (DAI) was calculated, and colon histopathology was evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Serum interleukin (IL)‑6, tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) and IL‑1β levels were examined using ELISA. Expression levels of nuclear factor‑κB (p65) and phosphorylated (p)‑p65 were evaluated via western blotting. 16S ribosomal RNA was extracted from mouse feces. Composition or abundance changes of intestinal microflora were analyzed. The results indicated that YMJ treatment (DSS+YMJ group) significantly increased body weight, reduced DAI scores and increased colon length in UC mouse models compared with those in the DSS group (P<0.05). YMJ significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration, significantly decreased serum TNF‑α, IL‑6 and IL‑1β levels (P<0.05) and significantly downregulated the p‑p65/p65 ratio compared with the DSS group (P<0.05). YMJ increased the quantity of the intestinal flora and improved intestinal microflora diversity in the mice of the DSS group. Specifically, YMJ partly regulated intestinal microflora in feces, including a reduction of Bifidobacterium, and an increase in Parasutterella and Ackermania. In conclusion, YMJ improved disease outcomes of the UC mice, reduced the levels of serum inflammatory factors and increased the ratio of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.
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November-2021
Volume 22 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Zheng S, Zhuang T, Tang Y, Wu R, Xu T, Leng T, Wang Y, Lin Z and Ji M: Leonurine protects against ulcerative colitis by alleviating inflammation and modulating intestinal microflora in mouse models. Exp Ther Med 22: 1199, 2021
APA
Zheng, S., Zhuang, T., Tang, Y., Wu, R., Xu, T., Leng, T. ... Ji, M. (2021). Leonurine protects against ulcerative colitis by alleviating inflammation and modulating intestinal microflora in mouse models. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 22, 1199. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10633
MLA
Zheng, S., Zhuang, T., Tang, Y., Wu, R., Xu, T., Leng, T., Wang, Y., Lin, Z., Ji, M."Leonurine protects against ulcerative colitis by alleviating inflammation and modulating intestinal microflora in mouse models". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 22.5 (2021): 1199.
Chicago
Zheng, S., Zhuang, T., Tang, Y., Wu, R., Xu, T., Leng, T., Wang, Y., Lin, Z., Ji, M."Leonurine protects against ulcerative colitis by alleviating inflammation and modulating intestinal microflora in mouse models". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 22, no. 5 (2021): 1199. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10633