Evaluation of Anti-Colitic Effect of Chung-Jang-Hwan (C-mix) in Mice

Abstract

The inhibitory effect of Chung-Jang-Hwan (C-mix) consisted of Geranium nepalense subsp. thunbergii, Saururus chinensis, and Rubus coreanus were investigated in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitic mice by microarray analysis. Treatment with C-mix improved colitic symptoms, including colon shortening and myeloperoxidase activity. Treatment with DSS alone upregulated the expression levels of inflammation-related genes, including IL-1 beta, IL-6, CCL2, CCL4, CCL5, CCL7, CCL8, CCL24, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL9 and CXCL10, and other colitis-related genes such as COX-2, PAP, MMP family, S100a8, S100a9 and DEFA1 in mice. However, treatment with C-mix inhibited the expression levels of inflammation-associated genes induced by DSS. The increased expression levels of COX-2 and IL-1 beta, representative inflammatory genes, were confirmed by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. These results indicate that C-mix may ameliorate colitis by the inhibitory regulation of inflammation-associated genes.