Yu Shi An Chang Fang Ameliorates TNBS-Induced Colitis in Mice by Reducing Inflammatory Response and Protecting the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that is related to the occurrence of colon cancer. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism by which Yu Shi An Chang Fang (YST) treated UC. 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) was used to construct the UC model. The body weight, fecal viscosity, and fecal bleeding of all mice were recorded every day to calculate the DAI value. The pathological changes in colon tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) reflecting inflammation and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) reflecting oxidative stress in colon tissues were all measured by their assay kits. The mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in colon tissues was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of proteins related to pyroptosis and the colonic mucosal barrier was analyzed by Western blot. As a result, TNBS caused decreases in body weight and colon lengths, triggered serious histological damage, promoted inflammation, oxidative stress, and pyroptosis, and destroyed the colonic mucosal barrier. The above changes caused by TNBS in colitis mice could be partially reversed by YST. In conclusion, YST ameliorates TNBS-induced UC in mice by reducing the inflammatory response and protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier.