Dietary unsaponifiable fraction from extra virgin olive oil supplementation attenuates acute ulcerative colitis in mice

• Published in: European journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2013-02, Vol.48 (3), p.572-581
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Fidalgo, S., Cárdeno, A., Sánchez-Hidalgo, M., Aparicio-Soto, M., Villegas, I., Rosillo, M.A., de la Lastra, C. Alarcón
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Chemokine CCL2 - antagonists & inhibitors; Chemokine CCL2 - genetics; Chemokine CCL2 - metabolism; Colitis, Ulcerative - immunology; Colitis, Ulcerative - metabolism; Colitis, Ulcerative - pathology; Colitis, Ulcerative - prevention & control; Colon - immunology; Colon - metabolism; Colon - pathology; COX-2; Cyclooxygenase 2 - chemistry; Cyclooxygenase 2 - genetics; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Dietary Supplements; Enzyme Activation; Extra virgin olive oil; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; Hydrolysis; iNOS; Intestinal Mucosa - immunology; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; IκBα; MAPK; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Olive Oil; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Oils - chemistry; Plant Oils - standards; Random Allocation; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Unsaponifiable fraction; Weaning
• ISSN: 0928-0987; 1879-0720
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2012.12.004

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has demonstrated immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory properties in murine experimental ulcerative colitis (UC). In addition to its high monounsaturated fatty acid content, evidences have accumulated on the favorable properties of minor, although highly bioactive, components present in the unsaponifiable fraction (UF). The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary EVOO’s UF supplementation on acute UC. C57BL/6 mice were fed from weaning with sunflower oil (SD), EVOO diet and UF-enriched SD at 5% oil (SD+UF). After 30days, mice were exposed to 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 5days developing acute colitis. After 4days of DSS removal, animals were sacrificed and colons were histological and biochemically processed. Disease activity index and microscopic damage score were significantly improved in EVOO and SD+UF dietary groups versus SD group. In addition, both dietary treatments significantly induced decreases in MCP-1 and TNF-α levels, iNOS and COX-2 overexpression and p38 MAPKs activation in colon mucosa. Moreover, an upregulation of IκB expression was also observed after feeding the animals with both diets. However, no statistically differences between data from mice fed with EVOO or UF+SD diets were observed. Dietary enrichment with EVOO’s UF reduces the damage in acute colitis model, alleviating the oxidative events and returning proinflammatory proteins expression to basal levels probably through p38 MAPK and NFκB signalling pathways. EVOO’s UF diet might provide a basis for developing a new strategy in dietary supplementation for the prevention of UC.