Effects of Huangqin Tang on NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway in mice model of ulcerative colitis / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Huangqin Tang(HQT) on the NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway in mice with DSS-induced ulcerative colitis(UC). C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group(DSS group), and low-, medium-and high-dose HQT groups(HQT-L, HQT-M, and HQT-H), and western medicine mesalazine group(western medicine group). The UC model was induced in mice. Subsequently, the mice in the HQT-L, HQT-M, HQT-H groups, and the western medicine group were given low-, medium-, high-dose HQT, and mesalazine suspension by gavage, respectively, while those in the blank and DSS groups were given an equal volume of distilled water by gavage. After 10 days of administration, the body weight, DAI scores, and colonic histopathological score of mice in each group were determined. The levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α in serum were determined by ELISA. The mRNA expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues was determined by RT-qPCR. The protein expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that compared with the blank group, the DSS group showed decreased body weight of mice and increased DAI scores and intestinal histopathological score. Compared with the DSS group, the HQT groups and the western medicine group showed improved DAI scores, especially in the HQT-M, HQT-H, and the western medicine groups(P<0.05). The intestinal histopathological scores of the HQT groups and the western medicine group significantly decreased, especially in the HQT-M, HQT-H, and the western medicine groups(P<0.05). In addition, compared with the blank group, the DSS group showed elevated expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues, increased serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, and decreased IL-10 level. Compared with the DSS group, the HQT groups and the western medicine group displayed decreased expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues, reduced serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, and increased IL-10 level. The improvement was the most significant in the HQT-H group and the western medicine group(P<0.01). In conclusion, HQT may reduce the expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues, reduce the se-rum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, and increase the expression of IL-10 by regulating the classic pyroptosis pathway of NLRP3/Caspase-1, thereby improving the symptoms of intestinal injury and inflammatory infiltration of intestinal mucosa in DSS mice to achieve its therapeutic effect.

Identification of a new azoreductase driven prodrug from bardoxolone methyl and 5-aminosalicylate for the treatment of colitis in mice / 中国天然药物

For local treatment of ulcerative colitis, a new azoreductase driven prodrug CDDO-AZO from bardoxolone methyl (CDDO-Me) and 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) was designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated. It is proposed that orally administrated CDDO-AZO is stable before reaching the colon, while it can also be triggered by the presence of azoreductase in the colon to fragment into CDDO-Me and 5-ASA, generating potent anti-colitis effects. Superior to olsalazine (OLS, a clinically used drug for ulcerative colitis) and CDDO-Me plus 5-ASA, CDDO-AZO significantly attenuated inflammatory colitis symptoms in DSS-induced chronic colitis mice, which suggested that CDDO-AZO may be a promising anti-ulcerative colitis agent.

Enemas with mesalazine increase the tissue contents of mucins in the colonic mucosa devoid of fecal stream

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the inflammatory reaction and measure the content of mucins, in the colonic mucosa without fecal stream submit to intervention with mesalazine. Methods: Twenty-four rats were submitted to a left colostomy and a distal mucous fistula and divided into two groups according to euthanasia to be performed two or four weeks. Each group was divided into two subgroups according daily application of enemas containing saline or mesalazine at 1.0 g/kg/day. Colitis was diagnosed by histological analysis and the inflammatory reaction by validated score. Acidic mucins and neutral mucins were determined with the alcian-blue and periodic acid of Schiff techniques, respectively. Sulfomucin and sialomucin were identified by high iron diamine-alcian blue technique. The tissue contents of mucins were quantified by computer-assisted image analysis. Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze the results establishing the level of significance of 5%. Results: Enemas with mesalazine in colonic segments without fecal stream decreased the inflammation score and increased the tissue content of all subtypes of mucins. The increase of tissue content of neutral, acid and sulfomucin was related to the time of intervention. Conclusion: Mesalazine enemas reduce the inflammatory process and preserve the content of mucins in colonic mucosa devoid of fecal stream.

Development of mesalazine pellets coated with methacrylic-derived polymer / Desenvolvimento de pelotas mesalazina revestidos com metacrílico derivado de polímero

Mesalazine (5-ASA) is the standard drug for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to its local effect on intestinal and colonic mucosa. The effective and safe treatment of this disease requires more efficient delivery of the active substance to its site of action. The focus of this study was the use of multiparticulate systems, a modified release form in which the drug is divided into several functional subunits of release in the form of granules or pellets. When these forms are administered, they are rapidly disintegrated, distributing their content throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a multiparticulate system consisting of pellets coated with polymer for pH-dependent release, derived from methacrylic acid and incorporated into the tablet dosage form of mesalazine as a model drug. The extrusion-spheronisation technique was used, resulting in smooth and spherical pellets with uniform size distribution, which were coated in fluidized bed using Opadry® Enteric 94K28327 containing Eudragit® S100 as the agent regulating drug release. The dissolution profile of coated pellets showed good control of drug release from the polymer at the two levels of coating evaluated (8 percent and 10 percent), but only the 10 percent coated pellets were statistically similar to Asalit® 400 mg.

A mesalazina (5-ASA) tem se apresentado como fármaco padrão para o tratamento da doença inflamatória intestinal (DII) devido ao seu efeito local na mucosa intestinal e colônica. A terapia efetiva e segura desta doença requer a chegada da substância ativa ao seu local de ação com maior eficiência. Nessa busca, tem se destacado o uso de Sistemas Multiparticulados, forma farmacêutica de liberação modificada, em que o fármaco está dividido em várias subunidades funcionais de liberação, sob a forma de grânulos ou péletes, que quando administrados, são rapidamente desintegrados distribuindo seu conteúdo por todo trato gastrintestinal. Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver e avaliar péletes revestidos com polímero de liberação pH-dependente, derivado do ácido metacrílico, tendo como fármaco modelo a mesalazina. A técnica de extrusão-esferonização foi utilizada obtendo-se péletes lisos e esféricos com distribuição granulométrica uniforme, que foram revestidos em leito fluidizado utilizando Opadry® Enteric 94K28327 contendo Eudragit® S100 como agente regulador da liberação do fármaco. O perfil de dissolução dos péletes revestidos demonstrou bom controle na liberação do fármaco por parte do polímero nos dois níveis de revestimento avaliados (8 e 10 por cento), porém, apenas os péletes revestidos a 10 por cento demonstraram semelhança estatística com o medicamento de referência Asalit® 400 mg.