Synergistic protection of astragalus polysaccharides and matrine against ulcerative colitis and associated lung injury in rats

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a main form of inflammatory bowel disease. Due to complicated etiology and a high rate of recurrence, it is quite essential to elucidate the underlying mechanism of and search for effective therapeutic methods for UC. AIM: To investigate the effects of astragalus polysaccharides (APS) combined with matrine on UC and associated lung injury. METHODS: UC was induced in rats by colon mucosal tissue sensitization combined with trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid-ethanol. Then, the effects of the treatments of salazopyrine, APS, matrine, and APS combined with matrine on histopathological changes of lung and colon tissues, disease activity index (DAI), colon mucosal damage index (CMDI), serum endotoxin (ET) level, serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity, the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, and the activities of myeloperoxidase, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde in lung tissues, as well as the protein expression of zonula occludens (ZO)-1, Occludin, and trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) were detected in UC rats. RESULTS: The treatments of salazopyrine, APS, matrine, and APS combined with matrine reduced DAI scores and improved histopathological changes of colon and lung tissues, as well as decreased CMDI scores, ET levels, and DAO activities in UC rats. Moreover, in lung tissues, inflammatory response and oxidative stress injury were relieved after the treatments of salazopyrine, APS, matrine, and APS combined with matrine in UC rats. Furthermore, the expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and TFF3 in lung and colon tissues was increased after different treatments in UC rats. Notably, APS combined with matrine exerted a better protective effect against UC and lung injury compared with other treatments. CONCLUSION: APS combined with matrine exert a synergistic protective effect against UC and lung injury, which might be associated with regulating TFF3 expression.