Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. Protects against DSS-induced colitis in mice: Involvement of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and gut microbiota

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2022-11, Vol.298, p.115570-115570, Article 115570
• Main Authors: Bian, Zhenhua, Qin, Yuwen, Li, Lin, Su, Lianlin, Fei, Chenghao, Li, Yu, Hu, Minmin, Chen, Xiaowei, Zhang, Wei, Mao, Chunqin, Yuan, Xiaohang, Lu, Tulin, Ji, De
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Gut microbiota; Inflammation; Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill; TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3; Ulcerative colitis
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115570

the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (SC) is an important traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating intestinal diseases. It is also traditionally used as health product and medicine in Russia and other countries. However, the effect of SC ethanol extract on anti-ulcerative colitis (UC) has not been systematically studied yet. We investigated the protective effects and underlying action mechanisms of SC extract (SCE) for UC treatment. An animal model of UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was established. After oral administration of SCE, the Disease Activity Index (DAI) was calculated, the length of colon measured, levels of proinflammatory factors determined, and histopathology carried out to assess the therapeutic efficacy of SCE on UC. The effects of SCE on the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-kappa B/nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome (TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome) signaling pathway were evaluated by western blotting. High-throughput sequencing was done to reveal the effect of SCE on the change of the gut microbiota (GM) in mice with DSS-induced colitis. SCE significantly reduced the DAI score, restored colon-length shortening, and ameliorated colonic histopathologic injury in mice with DSS-induced colitis. SCE inhibited the inflammatory response by regulating the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in mice with UC. SCE also maintained gut barrier function by increasing the levels of zonula occludens (ZO)-1 and occludin. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that SCE could reverse the GM imbalance caused by UC. SCE can ameliorate DSS-induced colitis, and that its effects might be associated with suppression of the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and GM regulation, which may provide significant supports for the development of potential candidates for UC treatment. [Display omitted] •SCE can ameliorate DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting secretion of proinflammatory cytokines.•SCE inhibited the inflammatory response by regulating the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in mice with colitis.•SCE could reverse the gut microbiota imbalance caused by ulcerative colitis.