Basic Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 7, 2020; 26(1): 55-69
Published online Jan 7, 2020. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i1.55
Synergistic protection of astragalus polysaccharides and matrine against ulcerative colitis and associated lung injury in rats
Xin Yan, Qing-Ge Lu, Li Zeng, Xiao-Hai Li, Yu Liu, Xue-Feng Du, Guo-Min Bai
Xin Yan, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, Hebei Province, China
Qing-Ge Lu, Li Zeng, Xiao-Hai Li, Yu Liu, Xue-Feng Du, Guo-Min Bai, Department of Anorectal Medicine, Tangshan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China
Author contributions: Yan X and Lu QG designed the research; Li XH and Liu Y performed the research; Zeng L and Bai GM analyzed the data; Du XF wrote the paper.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81704059.
Institutional review board statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the North China University of Science and Technology Ethics Committee.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: All procedures involving animals were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the North China University of Science and Technology.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.
Open-Access: This is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xin Yan, PhD, Professor, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, North China University of Science and Technology, No. 21, Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian New Town, Tangshan 063210, Hebei Province, China. y18301212703@163.com
Received: November 11, 2019
Peer-review started: November 11, 2019
First decision: November 22, 2019
Revised: November 29, 2019
Accepted: December 14, 2019
Article in press: December 14, 2019
Published online: January 7, 2020
Processing time: 56 Days and 22 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) are bioactive components extracted from the radix of Astragalus membranaceus, a commonly used herbal compound in traditional Chinese medicine.

Research motivation

APS was reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-tumor, and anti-diabetic properties.

Research objectives

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of APS and its potential mechanisms in a ulcerative colitis (UC) rat model induced by colon mucosal tissue sensitization combined with trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid-ethanol.

Research methods

First, we used two groups of Wistar rats: UC models and controls. Then, 105 UC model rats were randomly divided to five groups: Model group (n = 25), salazopyrine control group (n = 25), APS treatment group (n = 15), matrine treatment group (n = 15), and monomer mixture group (n = 25).

Research results

The inflammatory response and oxidative stress injury was relieved in colitis observed in APS combined with matrine-treated mice.

Research conclusions

APS combined with matrine may represent a potential therapeutic approach for treating inflammatory bowel disease.

Research perspectives

Drug research can provide a valuable resource to help clinicians make strategic treatment choices that will ultimately benefit patients at many levels.