title: Protective effect of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens against dextran sulfate sodium-induced intestinal inflammation in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens is an ethnic medicine for digestive disease known as Maqian. A previous report showed that the Maqian fruits essential oil (MQEO) exhibited an NO inhibitory effect on RAW 264.7 cells, but the effect on inflammatory disease in vivo remains unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Z. myriacanthum var. pubescens as potential candidate for the treatment of intestinal inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of anti-inflammatory effect of MQEO using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal inflammation in mice and exploration of the mechanisms with THP-1 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6 mice were provided drinking water containing 3% DSS for 10 days followed by normal drinking water for 3 days. MQEO (35 and 70mg/kg) were given 5 days before experiments and continued for another 13 days. At the end of experiments, mice were euthanized and colonic tissue was collected to be analyzed by H&E staining, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry for evaluating the damage of colons, the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p35 and TNF-α, and the expressions of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). The LPS-stimulated THP-1 cell line was used for exploring the role of inflammatory markers using ELISA, western blot and flow cytometry methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral administration of MQEO (35 and 70mg/kg) markedly attenuated the symptoms of intestinal inflammation, including diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and loss of body weight. It also reduced the shortening of colon length and histopathological damage. The expressions of MPO and MMP-9 and the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12p35) in colonic tissue significantly decreased after MQEQ treatment. The activation of NF-κB p65 in colonic mucosa was also markedly suppressed. In addition, MQEO significantly suppressed LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α and IL-1β, effectively blocked phosphorylation of IKK and IκB, and dose-dependently reduced LPS-stimulated expression of TLR4 in THP-1 cells at concentrations ranging from 0.01‰ to 0.05‰ (v/v).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MQEO exhibited protective effect against DSS-induced intestinal inflammation and the anti-inflammatory activity may be associated with TLR4 mediated NF-κB signaling pathway, suggesting it might be used as an anti-inflammatory agent.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
authors.forename: Kai-Long
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China.
authors.forename: You-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Fen
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China.
authors.forename: Mahmoud M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dahab
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, PR China. Electronic address: zhangping@xtbg.org.cn.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D004751:Enteritis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D032106:Zanthoxylum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D020011:Protective Agents; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D016264:Dextran Sulfate
keywords: Anti-inflammatory; DSS; Essential oil; IBD; Intestinal inflammation; Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens