ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effects of sinomenine on T-helper cell type 1-mediated experimental colitis in-duced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in mice. Methods:Balb/c mice were divided into five groups:ethanol control group, TNBS model group, and sinomenine treatment groups (50, 100 and 200 mg·kg-1 ) with 10 ones in each. Colitis was induced by colonic instillation of TNBS dissolved in 0. 1 ml of 50% ethanol. Seven days after the colonic instillation of TNBS, sinomenine was given by gastric gavage once daily for 21 days. The mice were sacrificed on the 28th day, the injury degree of colonic mucosa was ob-served, the colon myeloperoxidase ( MPO) activity was determined, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines ( TNF-α, IL-17 and IL-23) were determined by ELISA. Results:Compared with those in TNBS model group, the body mass, gross injury score and histologi-cal findings in sinomenine groups at medium dose and high dose were significantly improved (P<0. 05), the activity of MPO signifi-cantly decreased (P<0. 05), and the protein levels of TNF-α, IL-17 and IL-23 in colonic mucosa were lower than those in TNBS group (P<0. 05). Conclusion:Sinomenine has notable therapeutic effect on TNBS-induced chronic colitis in mice, and the mecha-nism is related to the inhibition of Th1 cytokines by sinomenine.