Linghu Ke-Gang, Ma Qiushuo, Xiong Shi-Hang, Zhao Mingming, Chen Qiling, Xu Wen, Chen Meiwan, Zhang Jian-Ye, Hu Yuanjia, Xu Wei, Yu Hua
State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Chin Med. 2022 Sep 15;17(1):109. doi: 10.1186/s13020-022-00661-0.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common inflammatory intestinal disease. Astragali Radix (AR) is one of the traditional Chinese medicines used in clinic for UC treatment. In our previous study, the whole ingredient extract (WIE) from AR have been proved to possess better immunomodulatory effects on immunosuppressed mice compared with the conventional water extraction (WAE). In the present study, we further evaluated the therapeutic effects of WIE against dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC in mice through systemic immune regulation.
Gradient solvent extraction has been used to prepare the WIE of AR. The HPLC-MS analysis approach has been employed to analyze and compare the chemical differences between WAE and WIE. UC model was reproduced in 3% DSS-induced C57BL/6 mice for 6 days. Flow cytometric analysis for splenic lymphocyte subset. ELISA kits were used to determine the cytokines in the serum and colon tissues. The histopathological characteristics of colon were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry.
The chemical compositions and the contents of main active ingredients were more abundant and higher in WIE than those in WAE. The WIE treatment altered a better action on reducing colitis disease activity index (DAI) and histological scores, as well as the recovered body weight and increased colon length in mice compared to the WAE group. Additionally, WIE showed better effects in recovering the levels of peripheral white blood cells in blood and cytokines (IL-2, IL-6 and MCP-1) in serum or colon tissues, improving the percentage of CD3 and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in the spleen, and inhibiting the spleen enlargement in DSS-induced UC mice.
WIE has a more complete chemical composition than WAE. Meanwhile, WIE possesses better therapeutic effects on UC through resuming dysfunctional immunity in mice.
溃疡性结肠炎（UC）是一种常见的炎症性肠病。黄芪是临床上用于治疗UC的传统中药之一。在我们之前的研究中，已证明黄芪全成分提取物（WIE）与传统水提取物（WAE）相比，对免疫抑制小鼠具有更好的免疫调节作用。在本研究中，我们通过全身免疫调节进一步评估了WIE对葡聚糖硫酸钠（DSS）诱导的小鼠UC的治疗效果。
采用梯度溶剂萃取法制备黄芪的WIE。采用高效液相色谱-质谱分析方法分析和比较WAE和WIE之间的化学差异。用3% DSS诱导C57BL/6小鼠建立UC模型6天。对脾淋巴细胞亚群进行流式细胞术分析。用ELISA试剂盒测定血清和结肠组织中的细胞因子。通过苏木精-伊红染色和免疫组织化学评估结肠的组织病理学特征。
WIE中的化学成分和主要活性成分含量比WAE更丰富、更高。与WAE组相比，WIE治疗在降低结肠炎疾病活动指数（DAI）和组织学评分方面表现出更好的作用，同时使小鼠体重恢复、结肠长度增加。此外，WIE在恢复血液中外周白细胞水平以及血清或结肠组织中细胞因子（IL-2、IL-6和MCP-1）水平、提高脾脏中CD3百分比和CD4/CD8比值以及抑制DSS诱导的UC小鼠脾脏肿大方面表现出更好的效果。
WIE的化学成分比WAE更完整。同时，WIE通过恢复小鼠功能失调的免疫对UC具有更好治疗效果。
