title: Interventional effects of plumbagin on experimental ulcerative colitis in mice.
abstract: Plumbagin (1) is a naphthoquinone constituent of plants that have been used in traditional systems of medicine since ancient times. In the present study, the role of 1 was examined on the amelioration of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease that is not curable currently. Plumbagin was tested at a dose of 6-10 mg/kg body weight in acute and chronic disease models. Diseased mice receiving 1 at 8-10 mg/kg demonstrated a significant suppression of disease symptoms in both models. However, body weight loss was not restored in either of the models. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-17) were reduced significantly by 1 in mice suffering from chronic disease, while cytokine levels remained unaffected in mice with acute disease. However, the percentage of inflammatory (CD14+/CD16+) monocytes present in peripheral blood was significantly reduced by >3-fold (p < 0.05) in treatment groups relative to controls in the acute model. Histological evaluations exhibited the restoration of goblet cells, crypts, and the submucosa along with a significant reduction in monocyte aggregation in colon sections from mice receiving treatment with 1. Restoration in colon size was also observed in the treatment groups.
authors.affiliation: Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101, USA.
authors.forename: Justin E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pile
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Navalta
authors.forename: Cheryl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Nilesh C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C014758:plumbagin