Abstract
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic gastrointestinal disease characterized by intestinal inflammation and serious mucosal damage. As a naturally hydroxycinnamic acid, sinapic acid (SA) has antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective activities. We investigated the anticolitic effect and potential mechanisms of SA in DSS-induced colitis in Kunming (KM) mice. SA treatment significantly reduced body weight loss, colon shortening, and intestinal wall thickening in colitis mice. SA treatment also significantly reduced the histological infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the colons of colitis mice. The administration of SA attenuated oxidative damage by enhancing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase and reduced the serum and colonic mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines in colitis mice. We used qRT-PCR and Western blotting assays and demonstrated that SA reduced the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and attenuated intestinal permeability by enhancing the expression of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 in colitis mice. Here, we conclude that SA exhibits great anticolitic activity against DSS-induced colitis by enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, reducing intestinal inflammation, and maintaining the intestinal barrier. Finally, we suggest that SA may be a safe adjuvant for the prevention of clinical colitis.