Red bean extracts protect rats against intestinal inflammatory damage.

Red beans comprise part of the diet in Korean culture. Anti-inflammatory and anti-septic activities of the butanol fraction of red bean ethanol extracts (BF-RBEE) are known. The intestinal antiinflammatory activity of BF-RBEE and related mechanisms were studied using a rat model of acetic acid-induced colitis. Oral treatment with BF-RBEE (100 mg/kg of body weight) suppressed body weight loss and intestinal inflammatory damage in colitic rats. BF-RBEE treatment reduced the myeloperoxidase activity and the malondialdehyde level that were increased in colitic rats, and restored the reduced level of glutathione. BF-RBEE also inhibited acetic acid-mediated increases in mRNA levels of nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Similarly, treatment with 1mg/kg of prednisolone protected rats against intestinal colitic damage with corresponding decreases in levels of these inflammatory indicators. Red beans can be useful for treatment of intestinal inflammatory diseases.