Therapeutic effects of Zuojin Pill on intestine and liver in a mouse model of acute and chronic colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes chronic relapsing inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Zuojin Pill (ZJP), a traditional herbal formula containing Coptis chinensis Franch and Tetradium ruticarpum with established therapeutic applications for digestive disorders, was selected for investigation because of its documented antibacterial, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and mucosal-protective properties. These characteristics suggest its potential efficacy in IBD, in which epithelial damage, immune dysregulation, and oxidative stress are the key pathological features. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of ZJP on intestinal and hepatic damage in a mouse model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. We hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ZJP would attenuate the severity of colitis and associated liver injury through the modulation of oxidative stress pathways and the gut-liver axis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Colitis severity, tissue histology, and disease activity index (DAI) were assessed, while plasma levels of ALT, AST, GGT, NO, and IL-1β were measured. Protein expression was analyzed by western blotting and densitometry. RESULTS: ZJP alleviated epithelial damage in the colon of both acute and chronic colitis mouse models induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and reduced inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide stress biomarkers. Additionally, ZJP mitigated DSS-induced intestinal and hepatic damage, as evidenced by decreased levels of oxidative stress markers, such as iNOS and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), along with reductions in the levels of serum ALT/AST and inflammatory mediators associated with liver injury. These protective effects were more pronounced in the acute colitis model than in the chronic colitis model. CONCLUSIONS: ZJP exerts protective effects against both hepatic and intestinal damage in DSS-induced acute and chronic colitis mouse models, likely owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.