Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Therapeutic effect of Sijunzi decoction on ulcerative colitis: A study based on in vitro functional experiments

Guobao Zhang¹, Wei Li²

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Huai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huai 'an City, Jiangsu Province 223001, China; ²Department of Internal Medicine, Shuyang County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province 223600, China.

For correspondence:- Wei Li Email: liwei_lw777@163.com Tel:+8613401886344

Accepted: 30 August 2023 Published: 30 September 2023

Citation: Zhang G, Li W. Therapeutic effect of Sijunzi decoction on ulcerative colitis: A study based on in vitro functional experiments. Trop J Pharm Res 2023; 22(9):1857-1862 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v22i9.12

© 2023 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of Sijunzi decoction (SJZD) against ulcerative colitis (UC) in vitro, and to unravel the probable mechanism of action.

Methods: SEC-6 cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in order to establish an ulcerative colitis model, and then treated with SJZD. CCK-8 assay was employed to evaluate cell viability, while cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to assess inflammation factors, viz, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, whereas the expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) were evaluated by Western blot.

Results: SJZD doses of 80 and 160 mg/L increased cell viability in LPS-induced SEC-6 cells, while Bcl2 and Bax expressions were regulated, and apoptosis inhibited at these doses (p < 0.05), indicating that SJZD attenuated cell apoptosis. Inflammation was also repressed by SJZD, based on the reduced expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, SJZD significantly increased PPARα level, thus enhancing cell viability, inhibiting apoptosis as well as inhibiting inflammation (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: SJZD lowers cell damage, and inhibits cell apoptosis and inflammation through the activation of PPARα pathway, thus suggesting that SJZD is a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Keywords: Apoptosis, Inflammation, Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, Sijunzi decoction, Ulcerative colitis