Animal models of ulcerative colitis and their application in drug research

Effect of compound dracorhodin enema on pulmonary and colonic expression of interleukin-6 in mice with distal ulcerative colitis

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of compound dracorhodin enema on the lung and intestine of mice with distal ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS: Sixty male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 15 each): a normal group, a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) group, a compound dracorhodin enema group, and a DSS + compound dracorhodin enema group. After inducing UC, the normal group and DSS group were given 1 mL saline, and the other two groups were given compound dracorhodin enema [0.075 g/(kg•d), 1 mL] by gavage. After treatment, disease activity index (DAI) score, colonic histopathology score (HI), lung HI score, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were used to evaluate the severity of inflammation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry, and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-QPCR) assay were used to detect the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 in the lung and colon.

RESULTS: Compared with the normal group and compound dracorhodin enema group, DAI score, colonic HI score, and lung HI score were significantly higher in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the DSS + compound dracorhodin enema group, colonic and pulmonary tissue inflammation was significantly more severe and pulmonary and colonic expression of IL-6 was significantly higher in the DSS group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Compound dracorhodin enema can decrease the expression of IL-6 and therefore alleviate UC and UC related lung injury in mice.