The effect of Hericium erinaceum on the prevention of chemically induced experimental colitis in rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the Hericium erinaceum on an experimental colitis model. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar albino were included in this study. Rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 (n = 8) was sham group. Group 2 is the group of chemically induced by intrarectal administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) resulting in colitis. Group 3 (n = 8) is the group that was treated 7 days before and 7 days after with H. erinaceum resulting in colitis. The activity of colitis was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically in rats. In other words, nitric oxide (NO) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin 6 (IL-6), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in addition to the myeloperoxidasem (MPO) activities was determined. RESULTS: The rate of TNBS-induced colitis caused to increase the level of MDA activities meaningfully in the colitis group than the control group. The results indicated that MDA (p = 0.001), NO (p = 0.001), IL-6 (p = 0.001), MPO (p = 0.878), TNF-α (p = 0.001), and NF-κB levels of treatment group decreased in the blood and colon tissues because of the H. erinaceum treatment when compared to the colitis group. H. erinaceum treatment was related to the declining of MDA, NF-κB, NO, IL-6, and TNF-α levels. CONCLUSIONS: H. erinaceum had a positive effect on the colitis by reducing oxidative damage in blood and tissue.