Study On The Mechanism Of Kangfuxin Solution In Treatment Of Experimental Colitis

Background & Aims: The causes of ulcerative colitis (UC) are not clear currently. There are various factors to participate its pathogenesis and healing process. Kangfuxin solution has been demonstrated to ameliorate UC in clinical application, however its concrete mechanisms remain unclear. The present study evaluates effects of the treatment of Kangfuxin solution on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced experimental colitis.Methods: 40 male rats were randomized into four groups: normal control group(A), model control group(B), SASP-treated group(C) and Kangfuxin solution-treated group(D). Except group A, acute colitis was induced by the methods what Cooper describes. From the 3th day, the rats of group A and B were treated with only normal saline enema at a dose of 1ml/d. The rats of group C were administered with SASP at a dose of 1ml/d. The rats of group D were administered with Kangfuxin solution enema at a dose of 1ml/d. Diarrhea and bloody stool were observed. All rats were sacrificed 10 days later. And the activity of intestinal myeloperoxidase (MPO) was determined. The expression of EGF and HGF were measured by Fluorescence quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction(FQ-PCR) and immunohistochemical method. The change of the expression of extracellular matrix related genes after treatment with Kangfuxin solution was measured by using MMPs related gene array. The results were determined by FQ-PCR.Results: Compared with model control group , the inflammatory symptoms and histological damages of colonic mucosa in SASP and Kangfuxin solution-treated group were significantly improved(P<0.05).SASP and Kangfuxin solution could decrease the activity of MPO(P<0.05). In comparison with model control group, there were 16 genes changing 2-fold or more than two times(10 genes were down-regulated and 6 genes were up-regulated). The results of MMP-3 and MMP-13 determined by FQ-PCR confirmed the observations in gene microarray completely. Compared with model control group and SASP-treated group, the expression of EGF and HGF in Kangfuxin solution-treated group increased(P<0.05).Conclusion: Kangfuxin solution enemas is effective in treatment of DSS-induced colitis. And the effects were associated with the decrease of MMP-3 and MMP-13 expression and up-regulation of EGF and HGF expression.