Bowman-Birk inhibitor concentrate reduces colon inflammation in mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences 1999-05, Vol.44 (5), p.986-990
• Main Authors: WARE, J. H, WAN, X. S, NEWBERNE, P, KENNEDY, A. R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Colitis, Ulcerative - chemically induced; Colitis, Ulcerative - drug therapy; Colon - drug effects; Dextran Sulfate; Digestive system; Disease Models, Animal; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Trypsin Inhibitor, Bowman-Birk Soybean - pharmacology; Trypsin Inhibitor, Bowman-Birk Soybean - therapeutic use; Trypsin Inhibitors - pharmacology; Trypsin Inhibitors - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1026616832119

Bowman-Birk inhibitor concentrate (BBIC) is a soybean extract enriched in the Bowman-Birk inhibitor, a protein protease inhibitor. The Bowman-Birk inhibitor can inhibit proteases released from inflammation mediating cells and suppress superoxide anion radical secretion from immunocytes. This study investigates the ability of Bowman-Birk inhibitor concentrate to inhibit colon inflammation in the dextran sulfate sodium model of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. When compared to mice on a standard diet, mice given food supplemented with 0.5% BBIC during and after dextran sulfate sodium treatment showed suppression of three of four scored histopathological inflammation criteria (P < 0.01), total histopathological score (P < 0.01), a 15% lower mortality rate (P < 0.01), and a delayed onset of mortality. We conclude that dietary Bowman-Birk inhibitor concentrate can beneficially affect dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice and may be useful in the treatment of human inflammatory bowel diseases, particularly ulcerative colitis.