Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by chronic relapsing intestinal
inflammation that causes digestive system dysfunction. For years, researchers have been working to find more effective and safer therapeutic strategies to treat these diseases.
Silibinin (SIL), a
flavonoid compound extracted from the seeds of milk thistle plants, possesses multiple
biological activities and is traditionally applied to treat
liver diseases. SIL is also widely used in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases attributed to its excellent
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the efficacy of SIL against IBDs and its mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, we found that SIL can effectively relieve intestinal
inflammation caused by
dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Our results suggested that SIL supplementation can inhibit the overproliferation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) induced by DSS, protect intestinal barrier function, acid-base balance, and intestinal excretion function, reduce intestinal
reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and inflammatory stress, and extend the lifespan of Drosophila. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that SIL ameliorates intestinal
inflammation via modulating the
c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway in Drosophila. Our research aims to provide new insight into the treatment of IBDs.