AIMTo investigate the therapeutic effect of Jianpi Qingchang decoction (JPQCD) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice.METHODSC57BL/c mice were injected intragastrically with 5% DSS instead of drinking water for 7 d, and their body weight, diarrhea severity and fecal bleeding were monitored, while the mice in the control group were treated with standard drinking water, without DSS. After 7 d, the DSS drinking water was changed to normal water and the DSS group continued with DSS water. The control and DSS groups were given normal saline by intragastric injection. The 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) group was treated orally with 5-ASA at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily. The JPQCD group was treated orally with JPQCD at a dose of 17.1 g/kg daily. On day 14, the colon length was measured, the colorectal histopathological damage score was assessed, and protein levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in colon supernatants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of NF-κB and inhibitor of kappa B.RESULTSAcute inflammation occurred in the mice administered DSS, including the symptoms of losing body weight, loose feces/watery diarrhea and presence of fecal blood; all these symptoms worsened at 7 d. The colons of mice treated with DSS were assessed by histological examination, and the results confirmed that acute inflammation had occurred, as evidenced by loss of colonic mucosa and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration, and these features extended into the deeper layer of the colon walls. The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α in the DSS group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α in the JPQCD and 5-ASA groups were lower than those in the DSS group after treating with JPQCD and 5-ASA. Comparing with the DSS group, the mRNA level of IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α and NF-κB was significantly reduced by 5-ASA and JPQCD. The difference between JPQCD and 5-ASA groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Comparing with the DSS group, due to using JPQCD and 5-ASA, significant suppression of activation in DSS-induced NF-κB and increased phosphorylation of IκB in mice with experimental colitis occurred (P < 0.05). The difference between the JPQCD group and the 5-ASA group was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONActivation of the NF-κB signaling pathway is inhibited by JPQCD, which shows the potential mechanism by which JPQCD treats UC.

BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis (UC) is considered to be closely associated with alteration of intestinal microorganisms. According to the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, UC can be divided into two disease syndromes called Pi-Xu-Shi-Yun (PXSY) and Da-Chang-Shi-Re (DCSR). The relationships among gut microbiota, TCM syndromes, and UC pathogenesis have not been well investigated. AIM To investigate the role of gut microbiota in UC and the distinction of microbiota dysbiosis between PXSY and DCSR syndromes. METHODS From May 2015 to February 2016, UC patients presenting to LongHua Hospital who met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in this retrospective study. Fresh stool specimens of UC patients with PXSY or DCSR were collected. The feces of the control group came from the health examination population of Longhua Hospital. The composition of gut bacterial communities in stool samples was determined by the pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA. The high-throughput sequencing reads were processed with QIIME, and biological functions were predicted using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States. RESULTS The composition of gut bacterial communities in 93 stool samples (30 healthy controls, 32 patients with PXSY syndrome, and 31 patients with DCSR syndrome) was determined by the pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA. Beta diversity showed that the composition of the microbiota was different among the three groups. At the family level, Porphyromonadaceae, Rikeneliaceae, and Lachnospiraceae significantly decreased while Enterococcus, Streptococcus, and other potential pathogens significantly increased in UC patients compared to healthy subjects. At the genus level, Parabacteroides , Dorea , and Ruminococcus decreased while Faeca-libacterium showed increased abundance in UC compared to healthy controls. Five differential taxa were identified between PXSY and DCSR syndromes. At the genus level, a significantly increased abundance of Streptococcus was observed in DCSR patients, while Lachnoclostridium increased in PXSY patients. The differential functional pathways of the gut microbiome between the PXSY and DCSR groups mainly included lipid metabolism, immunity, and the metabolism of polypeptides. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that the gut microbiota contributes to the distinction between the two TCM syndromes of UC.

AIMTo investigate the underlying effect of Jianpi Qingchang decoction (JQD) regulating intestinal motility of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice.METHODSC57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, the DSS group, the JQD group, and the 5-aminosalicylic acid group. Except for the control group, colitis was induced in other groups by giving distilled water containing 5% DSS. Seven days after modeling, the mice were administered corresponding drugs intragastrically. The mice were sacrificed on the 15th day. The disease activity index, macroscopic and histopathologic lesions, and ultrastructure of colon interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) were observed. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-10 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, c-kit, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3-II) and Beclin-l mRNA, and the colonic smooth muscle tension were assessed.RESULTSAcute inflammation occurred in the mice administered DSS. Compared with the control group, the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10 and IFN-γ, the expression of LC3-II, Beclin-1 and NF-κB p65 mRNA, and the contractile frequency increased (P < 0.05), the expression of c-kit mRNA and the colonic smooth muscle contractile amplitude decreased in the DSS group (P < 0.05). Compared with the DSS group, the levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ, the expression of c-kit mRNA, and the colonic smooth muscle contractile amplitude increased (P < 0.05), the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, the expression of LC3-II, Beclin-1 and NF-κB p65 mRNA, and the contractile frequency decreased in the JQD group (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONJQD can regulate the intestinal motility of DSS-induced colitis in mice through suppressing intestinal inflammatory cascade reaction, reducing autophagy of ICC, and regulating the network path of ICC/smooth muscle cells.

This study aims to determine the effects of the Jianpi Qingchang decoction (JQD) on the quality of life (QOL) of patients with spleen deficiency and dampness-heat syndrome ulcerative colitis (UC).A total of 120 active UC patients with spleen deficiency and dampness-heat syndrome were enrolled into this study. These patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: test group and control group (n = 60, each group). Patients in the test group were treated with JQD, while patients in control group were treated with 5-amino salicylic acid. After treatment for 8 weeks, differences in inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ) scores, short form-36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) scores, and Sutherland Disease Activity Index (DAI) values were compared between these 2 groups to assess the QOL of patients.Sutherland DAI scores decreased in both groups after the treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant (P < .05). However, the difference in bowel symptoms, systemic symptoms, total scores of the 4 IBDQ dimensions (physical function, bodily pain, vitality, and mental health), and total scores of the SF-36 questionnaires between these 2 groups were statistically significant (P < .05).JQD can be used as supplementary and alternative therapy to relieve clinical symptoms in patients with mild to moderate active UC, and consequently improve their QOL.