Ulcerative colitis has been recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease predominantly disturbing the colon and rectum. Clinically, the aminosalicylates,
steroids,
immunosuppressants, and
biological drugs are generally used for the treatment of
ulcerative colitis at different stages of
disease progression. However, the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs does not satisfy the patients due to the frequent drug resistance. Herein, we reported the anti-
ulcerative colitis activity of
desmethylbellidifolin, a
xanthone isolated from Gentianella acuta, in
dextran sulfate sodium-induced
colitis in mice. C57BL/6 mice were treated with 2%
dextran sulfate sodium in
drinking water to induce acute
colitis.
Desmethylbellidifolin or
balsalazide sodium was orally administrated once a day.
Biological samples were collected for immunohistological analysis, intestinal barrier function evaluation,
cytokine measurement, and gut microbiota analysis. The results revealed that
desmethylbellidifolin alleviated colon shortening and
body weight loss in
dextran sulfate sodium-induced mice. The disease activity index was also lowered by
desmethylbellidifolin after 9 days of treatment. Furthermore,
desmethylbellidifolin remarkably ameliorated colonic
inflammation through suppressing the expression of
interleukin-6 and
tumor necrosis factor-α. The intestinal epithelial barrier was strengthened by
desmethylbellidifolin through increasing levels of
occludin, ZO-1, and
claudins. In addition,
desmethylbellidifolin modulated the gut
dysbiosis induced by
dextran sulfate sodium. These findings suggested that
desmethylbellidifolin effectively improved experimental
ulcerative colitis, at least partly, through maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, inhibiting proinflammatory
cytokines, and modulating dysregulated gut microbiota.