This study mainly investigated the effect of
matrine on TNBS-induced intestinal
inflammation in mice. TNBS treatment caused colonic injury and gut
inflammation.
Matrine (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) treatment alleviated colonic injury and gut
inflammation via reducing
bleeding and
diarrhea and downregulating
cytokines expression (IL-1β and TNF-α). Meanwhile, serum
immunoglobulin G (
IgG) was markedly reduced in TNBS treated mice, while 5 and 10 mg/kg
matrine alleviated
IgG reduction. Fecal microbiota was tested using 16S sequencing and the results showed that TNBS caused gut microbiota
dysbiosis, while
matrine treatment markedly improved gut microbiota communities (i.e., Bacilli and Mollicutes). Functional analysis showed that cell motility,
nucleotide metabolism, and replication and repair were markedly altered in the TNBS group, while
matrine treatment significantly affected cell growth and death, membrane transport,
nucleotide metabolism, and replication and repair. In conclusion,
matrine may serve as a protective mechanism in TNBS-induced colonic
inflammation and the beneficial effect may be associated with gut microbiota.