Orally administered extract from Prunella vulgaris attenuates spontaneous colitis in mdr1a(-/-) mice

Abstract

Aim To investigate the ability of a Prunella vulgaris (P. vulgaris) ethanolic extract to attenuate spontaneous typhlocolitis in mdr1a(-/-) mice. Methods Vehicle (5% ethanol) or P. vulgaris ethanolic extract (2.4 mg/d) were administered daily by oral gavage to mdr1a(-/-) or wild type FVB(WT) mice from 6 wk of age up to 20 wk of age. Clinical signs of disease were noted by monitoring weight loss. Mice experiencing weight loss in excess of 15% were removed from the study. At the time mice were removed from the study, blood and colon tissue were collected for analyses that included histological evaluation of lesions, inflammatory cytokine levels, and myeloperoxidase activity. Results Administration of P. vulgaris extracts to mdr1a(-/-) mice delayed onset of colitis and reduced severity of mucosal inflammation when compared to vehicle-treated mdr1a(-/-) mice. Oral administration of the P. vulgaris extract resulted in reduced (P Conclusion The anti-inflammatory activity of P. vulgaris ethanolic extract effectively attenuated the severity of intestinal inflammation in mdr1a(-/-) mice.