Crohn's disease is a severe, incurable
inflammatory bowel disease. Orally administered
emu oil has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties in previous models of
gastrointestinal disease. We aimed to determine whether orally administered
emu oil could attenuate disease in a mouse model of Crohn's-like
colitis. Female
ARC(s) mice (CD-1 equivalent, n = 10/group) were intra-rectally administered water (120 μL) or trinitrobenzene
sulfonic acid (TNBS; 3 mg in 50%
ethanol; 120 μL bolus) on day 0. Mice were orally administered water (80 μL) or
emu oil (80 μL or 160 μL) daily for five days and euthanized on day six. Bodyweight and disease activity were recorded daily. Colonoscopy, burrowing activity, facial grimace, histological parameters (damage severity, small intestinal villus height/crypt depth and colonic crypt depth),
myeloperoxidase activity and intestinal permeability were assessed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. TNBS decreased bodyweight (days 1, 2, 4; P < 0.05) and increased disease activity (days 1-6; P < 0.01), compared to normal controls.
Emu oil (80 μL) attenuated disease activity on days 5-6 (P < 0.05), although bodyweight loss was not significantly impacted (P > 0.05). Facial grimace and colonoscopy scores were significantly increased in TNBS-control mice; effects attenuated by both volumes of
emu oil (P < 0.001). TNBS increased histological damage severity compared to normal controls (P < 0.05); an effect attenuated by 80 μL
emu oil (proximal and distal colon; P < 0.05) and 160 μL
emu oil (distal colon; P < 0.01). In the ileum, villus height and crypt depth were unaffected by TNBS or
emu oil treatment compared to normal (P > 0.05). TNBS-induced distal colonic crypt lengthening was unaffected following
emu oil administration (P > 0.05). Remaining parameters, including burrowing,
myeloperoxidase activity and intestinal permeability, were unchanged across all treatment groups (P > 0.05). In normal mice,
emu oil treatment did not significantly impact any parameter compared to normal controls. In conclusion,
emu oil reduced overall disease severity and facial grimace scores in TNBS mice. These results suggest therapeutic potential for orally administered
emu oil in the management of
Crohn's disease.