Role of extracted phytochemicals from Rosa sterilis S. D. Shi in DSS-induced colitis mice: potential amelioration of UC

Network pharmacology and experimental verification in vivo reveal the mechanism of Zhushao Granules against ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Zhushao Granules (ZSG) had exhibited beneficial effects in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) as an effective herbal prescription in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanism of ZSG remains unclear. This study aimed to decipher the mechanism of ZSG against UC combining network pharmacology and animal-based experiments.

METHODS

Network pharmacology was employed to identify active components and therapeutic targets of ZSG against UC. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed among the therapeutic targets using the STRING database, and GO and pathway analyses were carried out using DAVID. Then, the "herb-component-target-pathway" network based on therapeutic targets was established and the topological parameters were subsequently calculated to identify hub active components, targets and pathways by Cytoscape. Finally, the therapeutic function and the special pathway of ZSG against UC were validated using a TNBS-induced UC model in BABL/c mice.

RESULTS

Ninety-four active components of ZSG and 460 potential targets were acquired from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tradition Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. 884 potential targets of UC were obtained from OMIM and HINT. Sixty-two overlapping potential targets were identified as therapeutic targets of ZSG against UC. PPI network filtered out 61 therapeutic targets. GO and pathway analyses extracted 48, 25, and 98 terms corresponding to biological processes, molecular functions and Reactome pathways, respectively. Enrichment analysis suggested that the therapeutic targets were mainly involved in immune regulation, especially RIP-mediated NF-κB activation via ZBP1. Topological analysis of the "herb-component-target-pathway" network recognized 9 hub components, 20 hub targets and 18 hub pathways. The animal-based experiments revealed that ZSG ameliorated symptoms and histological changes in TNBS-induced colitis by significantly inhibiting the ZBP1/RIP/NF-κB pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

ZSG might alleviate the mucosal damage and ameliorate colitis via targeting ZBP1/RIP/NF-κB pathway, which laid the theoretical foundation for the clinical application and further study of ZSG and provided new insights into UC treatment.

Ellagic acid alleviates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis by inhibiting ROS/NLRP3 pathway activation and modulating gut microbiota in mice

Ulcerative colitis (UC) can cause severe oxidative stress in the colon, which can lead to tissue damage and an imbalance in the normal gut microbiota. Ellagic acid (EA) is one of the main types of plant polyphenols with improved pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. However, currently, the studies on the impact of EA on the gut microbiota and its potential to alleviate UC in mice through the ROS/NLRP3 pathway are limited. In this study, dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was used to construct a UC mouse model, which was then treated with EA as an intervention for UC. The results revealed that EA alleviated the trend of liver, spleen, and weight changes in UC mice and improved colon oxidative stress, inflammation, and pathological damage. Mechanistically, DSS-induced UC indicated a significant increase in ROS/NLRP3 pathway-related factors, whereas EA intervention activated the Nrf2 pathway to reduce these factors. Furthermore, the DSS group had a reduced abundance of Firmicutes (59.02%) and an increased abundance of Bacteroides and Proteobacterium by 1.8 times and 10.16%; however, EA intervention reversed these changes, thus alleviating UC. The findings of this study revealed that EA could significantly enhance the composition of gut microbiota in UC and reduce the inflammatory response, colonic damage as well as oxidative stress caused by DSS by regulating the ROS/NLRP3 pathway. These results provide novel perspectives on the prevention and treatment strategies of UC and highlight the therapeutic benefits of EA in managing colitis.

Ultrasonic-Assisted Decoloration of Polysaccharides from Seedless Chestnut Rose (Rosa sterilis) Fruit: Insight into the Impact of Different Macroporous Resins on Its Structural Characterization and In Vitro Hypoglycemic Activity

Pigments within polysaccharides pose significant challenges when analyzing their structural characteristics and evaluating their biological activities, making decolorization a crucial step in purifying these biomolecules. In this research, a novel approach using ultrasound-assisted static adsorption with macroporous resins was employed to decolorize polysaccharides extracted from seedless chestnut rose (Rosa sterilis S. D. Shi) fruit (RSP). Among the fourteen tested resins, AB-8, D101, D4020, HPD100, and S8 were identified as the most effective, demonstrating superior decoloration efficiency and polysaccharide recovery. Further examinations of RSPs treated with these five resins revealed distinct effects on their uronic acid levels, monosaccharide makeup, molecular weight, surface structure, and hypoglycemic properties. The RSP treated with HPD100 resin stood out for having the highest uronic acid content, smallest particle size, and lowest molecular weight, leading to the most notable inhibition of α-glucosidase activity through a mixed inhibition model. The application of HPD100 resin in the decolorization process not only potentially preserved the macromolecular structure of RSP but also enhanced its hypoglycemic efficacy. These findings provide a solid theoretical basis for further exploring RSP as a component of functional foods, underscoring the effectiveness of the ultrasound-assisted resin adsorption method in polysaccharide purification.

Comparative Study on the Impact of Different Extraction Technologies on Structural Characteristics, Physicochemical Properties, and Biological Activities of Polysaccharides from Seedless Chestnut Rose (Rosa sterilis) Fruit

Seedless chestnut rose (Rosa sterilis S. D. Shi, RS) is a fresh type of R. roxburghii Tratt with copious functional components in its fruit. Polysaccharides are recognized as one of the vital bioactive compounds in RS fruits, but their antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties have not been extensively explored. Hence, in this study, accelerated solvent extraction (RSP-W), citric acid (RSP-C), 5% sodium hydroxide/0.05% sodium borohydride (RSP-A), and 0.9% sodium chloride (RSP-S) solution extraction were individually utilized to obtain RS fruit polysaccharides. The physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and biological activities were then compared. Results indicated that extraction methods had significant influences on the extraction yield, uronic acid content, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, particle size, thermal stability, triple-helical structure, and surface morphology of RSPs apart from the major linkage bands and crystalline characteristics. The bioactivity tests showed that the RSP-S, which had the greatest amount of uronic acid and a comparatively lower molecular weight, exhibited more potent antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory property. Furthermore, all RSPs inhibited α-glucosidase through a mixed-type manner and quenched their fluorescence predominantly via a static quenching mechanism, with RSP-S showing the highest binding efficiency. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for utilizing RSPs as functional ingredients in food industries.