Protective Effect of Cicer arietinum L. (Chickpea) Ethanol Extract in the Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Mouse Model of Ulcerative Colitis.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a major risk factor of colorectal cancer. Drugs currently used for IBD exhibit adverse effects including vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Naturally derived novel alternative therapies are required to overcome these limitations. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of ethanol extract of Cicer arietinum (CEE) in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse model of colitis. CEE markedly improved DSS-induced clinical symptoms and histological status, such as the disease activity index, spleen weight, and colon length. Moreover, CEE-treated mice showed significant recovery of DSS-induced crypt damage and cell death. CEE suppressed myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and macrophage marker F4/80 mRNA expression in colonic tissue of mice with DSS-induced colitis, indicating neutrophil infiltration and macrophage accumulation, respectively. Although DSS upregulated pro-inflammatory mediators and activated transcription factors, CEE downregulated the mRNA expression of cytokines including interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α, protein expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, as well as activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-кB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Hence, our findings reveal that the anti-inflammatory properties of CEE, involving the downregulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators by inactivating NF-кB and STAT3 in DSS-induced colitis mice.

• Authors: Mia Kim, Kyung-Sook Chung, Se-Jung Hwang, Ye Seul Yoon, Young Pyo Jang, Jong Kil Lee, Kyung-Tae Lee
• Journal: Nutrients (Nutrients) Vol. 12 Issue 2 (Feb 12 2020) ISSN: 2072-6643 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 32059355 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Cytokines
• Inflammation Mediators
• NF-kappa B
• Plant Extracts
• RNA, Messenger
• STAT3 Transcription Factor
• Stat3 protein, mouse
• Ethanol
• Dextran Sulfate

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Cicer (chemistry)
• Colitis, Ulcerative (drug therapy, etiology, genetics)
• Cytokines (genetics, metabolism)
• Dextran Sulfate (adverse effects)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Ethanol
• Gene Expression
• Inflammation Mediators (metabolism)
• Male
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• NF-kappa B (genetics, metabolism)
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (isolation & purification, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• RNA, Messenger (genetics, metabolism)
• STAT3 Transcription Factor (genetics, metabolism)