Panax notoginseng Promotes Repair of Colonic Microvascular Injury in Sprague-Dawley Rats with Experimental Colitis

Effect and mechanism of Sanqi () in treating periodontitis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect and mechanism of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) in treating periodontitis.

METHODS

The active components and periodontitis targets were analyzed through network pharmacology and molecular docking. A rat model of periodontitis was established and rats were treated by continuous intragastric administration of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) at different doses for 30 d. The alveolar bone structure was observed by micro-CT, the periodontal tissue structure was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the related proteins changes was detected by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) and periodontitis had a total of 96 coincident targets that were significantly enriched in the interleukin 17 (IL-17), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and advanced glycation endproducts and the receptor of advanced glycation endproducts signaling pathways. The active compound quercetin had good binding activity with interleukin 6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), Jun proto-oncogene (JUN), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) in periodontitis. Compared with normal group, the distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the alveolar bone (AB) was increased, alveolar bone absorption was obvious, the periodontal tissue structure was disorganized, and IL-6 and TNF-α were upregulated in periodontitis group; meanwhile, the distance from CEJ to AB was significantly decreased, alveolar bone resorption was reduced, periodontal tissue structure was improved, the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17 and retinoid-ralated orphan receptor γt (RORγt) were decreased, Forkhead Box P3 (FOXP3) and IL-10 were increased after Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) improves the structure of alveolar bone and gum, and reduces inflammation; the mechanism involve in inhibiting IL-17 signaling pathway to suppress Th17 and promote Treg cells differentiation.

Pharmacological effects of ginseng and ginsenosides on intestinal inflammation and the immune system

Intestinal inflammatory imbalance and immune dysfunction may lead to a spectrum of intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and gastrointestinal tumors. As the king of herbs, ginseng has exerted a wide range of pharmacological effects in various diseases. Especially, it has been shown that ginseng and ginsenosides have strong immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory abilities in intestinal system. In this review, we summarized how ginseng and various extracts influence intestinal inflammation and immune function, including regulating the immune balance, modulating the expression of inflammatory mediators and cytokines, promoting intestinal mucosal wound healing, preventing colitis-associated colorectal cancer, recovering gut microbiota and metabolism imbalance, alleviating antibiotic-induced diarrhea, and relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. In addition, the specific experimental methods and key control mechanisms are also briefly described.

Mechanism of Qingchang Suppository on repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a refractory inflammatory bowel disease, and the outcomes of conventional therapies of UC, including 5-aminosalicylic acid, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, and biological agents, are not satisfied with patients and physicians with regard to adverse reactions and financial burden. The abnormality of the intestinal mucosal barrier in the pathogenesis of UC was verified. Qingchang Suppository (QCS) is an herbal preparation and is effective in treating ulcerative proctitis. The mechanism of QCS and its active ingredients have not been concluded especially in mucosal healing. This review elucidated the potential mechanism of QCS from the intestinal mucosal barrier perspective to help exploring future QCS research directions.

Qingchang Suppository Ameliorates Colonic Vascular Permeability in Dextran-Sulfate-Sodium-Induced Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC), with a long course and repeated attack, severely affects patient's life quality and increases economic burden all over the world. However, the concrete causes and mechanisms of UC are still unclear, but it is generally considered that many factors participate in this process. Qingchang Suppository (QCS) has been used in treating rectitis and colitis for about 30 years in Shanghai, China. Its satisfactory clinical effects have been proved. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect and mechanisms of QCS on colonic vascular endothelial barrier in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. The results indicated that increased vascular permeability (VP) appeared earlier than increased intestinal epithelial permeability (EP) in the process of DSS-induced colitis. QCS attenuated colonic tissue edema, vascular congestion and inflammatory cell infiltration. QCS inhibited the elevation of MPO, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in colon tissues and alleviated the microvascular damage induced by DSS. QCS also improved colonic hypoxia and decreased the expression of VEGF, HIF-1α, and iNOS. These results revealed that QCS can reduce colonic VP and can improve vascular endothelial barrier function maybe by regulating the VEGF/HIF-1α signaling pathway.