Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2022 November, 258(3)

Total Glucosides of Paeony Attenuates Ulcerative Colitis via Inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Junying Xiang,¹ Renwei Hu,² Qunhua Li,¹ Youjin Zhang,³ Shujin Li,³ Xue Wang³ and Yongyan Song³

¹Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
²Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
³Central Laboratory, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

The therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) in treating ulcerative colitis remain to be clarified. Mouse model of ulcerative colitis was treated with TGP and the indexes including scores of disease activity index, gross morphologic damage and histological damage, and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were determined. Patients with ulcerative colitis received TGP capsule therapy and the indexes including efficacy of colonoscopy and histology, scores of Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (UCAI) and Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), and inflammatory parameters were assessed. The expressions of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) were measured in colonic tissues of mice and patients. TGP treatment significantly increased weight, decreased scores of disease activity index, gross morphologic damage and histological damage, and reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase in mouse model. Patients treated with TGP capsule had significantly higher relief rates of diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloody purulent stool, decreased UCAI and increased SIBDQ scores, and lower levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T-cell ratio than those patients with routine therapy. The overall response rate of TGP capsule was significantly higher than that of routine therapy. TGP treatment significantly suppressed the expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB in colonic tissues of both mouse model and patients with UC. TGP shows a good therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis in animals and human patients, and the underlying mechanisms may be related to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signaling by TGP.

Keywords —— inflammation; nuclear factor-kappa B; toll-like receptor; total glucosides of paeony; ulcerative colitis

© 2022 Tohoku University Medical Press

===============================

Tohoku J. Exp. Med 2022, 258, 225-236.

Correspondence: Yongyan Song, Ph.D., Central Laboratory, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, hengdu, Sichuan 610000, People’s Republic of China.

e-mail: songyongyan@cdu.edu.cn