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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microorganisms in Vertebrate Digestive Systems
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1428327

Intestinal and hepatic benefits of BBR-EVO on DSS-induced experimental colitis in mice

Provisionally accepted
Wenjia Wang Wenjia Wang 1,2,3Yiheng Han Yiheng Han 4*Wen Yin Wen Yin 3,5*Qiaozhi Wang Qiaozhi Wang 1*Yi Wu Yi Wu 3,5*Maobo Du Maobo Du 1*
  • 1 China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
  • 2 Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China
  • 3 Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
  • 4 Changzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, China
  • 5 Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Ulcerative colitis (UC), characterized by disrupted intestinal barrier integrity and chronic inflammation, was modeled in mice via dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induction. This study explored the therapeutic potential of berberine-evodiamine (BBR-EVO), bioactive components of the traditional Chinese medicine Yulian decoction, in DSS colitis. BBR-EVO intervention ameliorated weight loss, diarrhea, colonic shortening, and histopathological damage in colitic mice. The substance increased antioxidant activity while reducing high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the colon, including as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. BBR-EVO inhibited the DSS-induced decrease in the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin, according to immunohistochemistry. 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated BBR-EVO partially attenuated DSS-elicited intestinal dysbiosis, reducing opportunistic pathogens and restoring diminished beneficial taxa. Critically, BBR-EVO alleviated secondary hepatic injury in colitic mice, mitigating immune cell infiltration, oxidative stress, cytokine production, and ultrastructural damage, likely by beneficially modulating gut-liver crosstalk. This study reveals BBR-EVO, derived from a traditional Chinese medicine, confers multi-target protective effects in experimental colitis and associated hepatic pathology, warranting further evaluation as a potential therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases like UC. The mechanisms may involve simultaneous augmentation of intestinal barrier integrity, inhibition of inflammation, microbiota regulation, and gut-liver axis optimization.

    Keywords: Yulian decoction, BBR-EVO, dss colitis, Liver, Intestinal dysbiosis

    Received: 06 May 2024; Accepted: 02 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Wang, Han, Yin, Wang, Wu and Du. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yiheng Han, Changzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, China
    Wen Yin, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
    Qiaozhi Wang, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, Beijing Municipality, China
    Yi Wu, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
    Maobo Du, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, Beijing Municipality, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.