Classical prescription Huanglian Decoction relieves ulcerative colitis via maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and modulating gut microbiota
2022
Hao, Wei | Chen, Zhejie | Wang, Liju | Yuan, Qin | Gao, Caifang | Ma, Meiling | Liu, Congsheng | Wang, Yitao | Wang, Shengpeng
Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) has affected an increasing number of people globally, with still limited clinical success. Huanglian decoction (HLD) is a famous classical prescription documented for alleviating gastrointestinal disorders with unexplored therapeutic effects and mechanisms. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of HLD in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice. Methods: The efficacy and safety of HLD were evaluated in a well-established DSS-induced colitis mice model. Disease progression was monitored via clinical symptoms, histopathological examination, biochemical assays, and epithelial barrier function evaluation. Results: HLD alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms, reversed colon length reduction, reduced histological injury, downregulated the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, maintained the tight distribution of ZO-1/occludin-1 and the normal level of β-catenin, concurrent with apoptosis reduction in the colonic epithelium. After HLD treatment, the DSS-induced gut dysbiosis was modulated, and the gut microbiota achieved a new equilibrium state. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that HLD may present a potential remedy for UC treatment, providing evidence for further developing Chinese classical prescriptions.
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