1. Orally administered aqueous extract of Inonotus obliquus ameliorates acute inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice
- Author
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Mishra, Siddhartha Kumar, Kang, Ju-Hee, Kim, Dong-Kyu, Oh, Seung Hyun, and Kim, Mi Kyung
- Subjects
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COLITIS prevention , *ALTERNATIVE medicine , *ANIMAL experimentation , *ANTI-inflammatory agents , *BIOPHYSICS , *COLON (Anatomy) , *CYTOKINES , *HISTOLOGICAL techniques , *IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY , *INTERFERONS , *INTERLEUKINS , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICINAL plants , *MICE , *EDIBLE mushrooms , *POLYMERASE chain reaction , *STAINS & staining (Microscopy) , *TUMOR necrosis factors , *PLANT extracts , *REVERSE transcriptase polymerase chain reaction , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *PHARMACODYNAMICS - Abstract
Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) has been used in folk medicine to treat several disorders through its various biological functions. I. obliquus is claimed to produce general immune-potentiating and strengthening, antiinflammatory, and antitumor properties, but its effects on intestinal inflammation (ulcerative colitis) are clearly not understood. Aim of the study: To determine the effects and mode of action of an aqueous extract of I. obliquus (IOAE) on experimental colitis in mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Materials and methods: Female 5-week-C57BL/6 mice were randomized into groups differing in treatment conditions (prevention and treatment) and doses of IOAE (50 and 100mg/kg body weight). Mice were exposed to DSS (2%) in their drinking water over 7 day to induce acute intestinal inflammation. In colon tissues, we evaluated histological changes by hematoxylin and eosin staining, levels of iNOS by immuno-histochemical staining, and neutrophil influx by myeloperoxidase assay. mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ was determined by RT-PCR. Results: Histological examinations indicated that IOAE suppressed edema, mucosal damage, and the loss of crypts induced by DSS. IOAE markedly attenuated DSS-induced iNOS levels and myeloperoxidase accumulation in colon tissues, demonstrating its suppressive effect on infiltration of immune cells. In addition, IOAE significantly inhibited mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by DSS in colon tissues. Conclusion: Our results suggest anti-inflammatory effect of IOAE at colorectal sites due to down-regulation of the expression of inflammatory mediators. Suppression of TNF-α and iNOS together with IL-1β by IOAE denotes that it might be a useful supplement in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
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