Comparative Evaluation between Sulfasalazine Alone and in Combination with Herbal Medicine on DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis Mice

Biomed Res Int. 2017:2017:6742652. doi: 10.1155/2017/6742652. Epub 2017 Sep 6.

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the comparative evaluation of pharmacological efficacy between sulfasalazine alone and sulfasalazine in combination with herbal medicine on dextran sodium sulfate- (DSS-) induced UC in mice. Balb/c mice received 5% DSS in drinking water for 7 days to induce colitis. Animals were divided into five groups (n = 9): Group I (normal group), Group II (DSS control group), Group III (DSS + sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg)), Group IV (DSS + sulfasalazine (60 mg/kg)), and Group V (DSS + sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg) + Cinnamomi Cortex and Bupleuri Radix mixture (30 mg/kg) (SCB)). Colonic pathological changes were analyzed using hematoxyline/eosin staining. The antioxidant, inflammatory, and apoptotic protein levels were determined using western blotting. SCB supplementation, as well as sulfasalazine, suppressed colonic length and mucosal inflammatory infiltration. In addition, SCB treatment significantly reduced the expression of proinflammatory signaling molecules through suppression of both mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways and prevented the apoptosis of the colon. Moreover, SCB administration significantly led to the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes including SOD and catalase. Taken together, SCB treatment might offer a better treatment for human UC than sulfasalazine alone or may be useful as an alternative therapeutic strategy against UC, without any evidence of side effects.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / chemically induced*
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / drug therapy*
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / metabolism
  • Colon / drug effects
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Dextran Sulfate / pharmacology*
  • Herbal Medicine / methods
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Sulfasalazine / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • NF-kappa B
  • Sulfasalazine
  • Dextran Sulfate
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases