title: The potential mechanism of Bawei Xileisan in the treatment of dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bawei Xileisan (BXS), a traditional Chinese compound medicine, has been historically used in the treatment of ulcers and inflammation. BXS is also used as a topical agent for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in China. The underlying mechanism, however, remains elusive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six female C57BL/6 mice with average weight of 20±2g were used for an in vivo study. The present work was conducted in accordance with the protocols approved by the Ethics Committee of Animal Experiments of Lanzhou University. The mice were induced to develop acute colitis by treating these with 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) solution for 5 days. Subsequently, BXS (200,400mg/kg) was rectally administered daily for one week. All mice were killed at day 12 and their body weight, colon length, and histological changes were all recorded. Serum T helper 17 (Th17) cytokine levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Th17 and regulatory T cell (Treg) in splenocyte mononuclear cells were isolated and identified via flow cytometry. Stool DNA was extracted and the absolute number of Bacteroides and Lactobacillus were measured by using real-time Q-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shortened colon and damaged tissue structure were profoundly ameliorated by BXS enema. The expression level of Th17-related cytokines IL-17A/F and IL-22 was significantly and dose-dependently reduced, resulting in the restoration of Th17/Treg balance. Moreover, BXS also improved the feces Lactobacillus levels and manifested beneficial effects on Bacteroides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study suggest that BXS is curative in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis, and the underlying mechanism might involve disruption of the Th17 pathway and the induction of a Th17/Treg imbalance, as well as an the development of an opsonic effect on specific gut microbiota.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Molecular Diagnosis, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Gansu Institute of Drug Control, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Baoxia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Gansu Institute of Drug Control, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Pingrong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Molecular Diagnosis, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Xinjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Molecular Diagnosis, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Chenhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Molecular Diagnosis, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Molecular Diagnosis, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Junshu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Molecular Diagnosis, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: chjzh@lzu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chunjiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016264:Dextran Sulfate
keywords: Bawei Xileisan; Dextran Sulfate; Gut Microbiota; Sodium; Th17/Treg; Traditional Chinese medicine; ulcerative Colitis