AUTHOR=Li Chao , Yin Xinxin , Xie Changpeng , Zeng Jin , Song Chuan , Yang Guibin , Zhang Jinglei , Chen Siai , Wei Panjian , Wang Ziyu , Gu Meng , Li Wei , An Juan , Pan Yuanming 

TITLE=Berberine attenuates TNBS-induced colitis in mice by improving the intestinal microbiota

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1463005

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1463005

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>To investigate the effects of berberine (BBR) as a treatment on intestinal microecological alterations and enteritis in mice produced by TNBS.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>There were seven mice per group: seven in the healthy group (Ctrl), seven in the TNBS-induced enteritis group (TNBS), and seven in the berberine treatment group (BBR). The mice were weighed, slaughtered after 7 days, and subjected to high-throughput intestinal microecological analysis by Illumina, as well as haematological detection and imaging evaluation of colon pathology.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>The alterations in colon length, immune cell subpopulations, inflammatory factors, and intestinal microecology of mice induced by BBR were refined using a battery of experiments and observations. According to intestinal microecological studies, BBR can increase the number of bacteria, including <italic>Lactobacillus</italic>, <italic>Verrucomicrobia</italic>, <italic>Bacteroides</italic>, and <italic>Akkermansia muciniphila</italic>.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>BBR has a therapeutic effect on TNBS-induced colitis in mice, which is associated with modifications in immune cell subpopulations and intestinal microecology. It also offers a viable approach as a prospective probiotic (like <italic>Akkermansia muciniphila</italic>) to IBD therapy in clinical settings.</p></sec>