Effect of forsythiaside A on immune function in rats with ulcerative colitis

AIM To investigate the effect of forsythiaside A (FA) on immune function in rats with ulcerative colitis and its related mechanism. METHODS Healthy SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group (no treatment, normal feeding), model group (establishment of rat ulcerative colitis model), and low, medium and high doses of FA groups (treatment of the model rats with FA at 5 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg, respectively). The malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in rat colon tissues were measured by colorimetry, and the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-4 were detected by ELISA. The spleen index and thymus index, the percentages of CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMC）, the serum IgA and IgG levels, and the serum complement C3 and C4 levels were also determined. RESULTS The colon tissues of the rats in model group showed obvious inflammation and ulceration, indicating that the animal model was successfully established. Compared with model group, the colonic inflammation and ulceration were significantly attenuated in FA groups, among which the high dose had the best effect. Compared with control group, the spleen index and thymus index of the rars in model group were decreased (P<0.05), MDA content in colon tissues was increased (P<0.05), and SOD activity in colon tissues was decreased (P<0.05). The levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in PBMC, and the serum levels of C3, C4 and IL-4 were decreased (P<0.05), while the serum levels of IgA, IgG, TNF-α, and IL-2 were increased in model group as compared with control group. Furthermore, the spleen index and thymus index of the rats in FA groups were increased (P<0.05), the MDA content in the colon tissues was decreased (P<0.05), and the SOD activity in the colon tissues was increased (P<0.05). The levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in PBMC, and the serum levels of C3, C4 and IL-4 were increased (P<0.05), while serum IgA, IgG, TNF-α and IL-2 levels were decreased in FA groups as compared with model group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Forsythiaside A effectively attenuates the colonic lesions in rats with ulcerative colitis, and its mechanism may be related to reinforcement of oxygen free radical scavenging power, alleviation of inflammatory response, and enhancement of immune function.