Ameliorative Effect of High-Dose Vitamin C Administration on Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis Mouse Model

• Published in: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin 2019/06/01, Vol.42(6), pp.954-959
• Main Authors: Kondo, Kanako, Hiramoto, Keiichi, Yamate, Yurika, Goto, Kenji, Sekijima, Hidehisa, Ooi, Kazuya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Ascorbic acid; Blood levels; collagen type I; collagen type III; Colon; Dextran; dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis; Dextran sulfate; DNA nucleotidylexotransferase; Fibroblasts; Hydrogen peroxide; Inflammatory bowel disease; Interleukin 6; Iron; Mice; Sodium; Sodium sulfate; Sulfates; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Ulcerative colitis; Vitamin C; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b18-00967

Vitamin C is a natural nutrient with antioxidant properties and is used as a health supplement. In this study, we examined the effects of intraperitoneal administration of high-dose vitamin C (4 g/kg) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis. We prepared a mouse ulcerative colitis model by administering DSS for 7 d along with high-dose vitamin C each day during DSS treatment. Ulcerative colitis induced by DSS was ameliorated by high-dose vitamin C administration. Blood levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and iron were elevated in DSS-treated mice but lowered by high-dose vitamin C administration. Contrarily, the levels of H2O2 and iron and the numbers of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in the colon were further increased by high-dose vitamin C administration. The expression levels of fibroblasts, collagen type I, and collagen type III decreased in the DSS-treated mice but increased in mice administered high-dose vitamin C. These results suggest that high-dose vitamin C administration can improve ulcerative colitis.