Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a serious chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Oridonin (Ori) has anti‑inflammatory, antibacterial and antitumor activities. The current study aimed to investigate the regulatory role of Ori in UC. BALB/C mice were induced to form a model of UC using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), after which UC mice received high‑(Ori‑H) and low‑doses of Ori (Ori‑L). Subsequently, the length of the colon was measured and hematoxylin and, eosin staining was performed to detect colonic injury. Western blot analysis was performed to detect expression level in tight junction‑associated proteins in murine colon tissue. Additionally, myeloperoxidase activity and inflammatory factor concentration were detected in colon tissue using ELISA. TUNEL and western blot assays were also performed to detect cell apoptosis, and the expression level of Sirt1/NF‑κB/p53 pathway‑related proteins was also determined using western blot analysis. The results revealed that Ori ameliorated clinical symptoms and pathological lesions in mice with DSS‑induced UC. Furthermore, Ori protected the integrity of the colonic mucosal barrier, reduced the inflammatory response and decreased oxidative stress levels in mice with DSS‑induced UC. Ori treatment also inhibited intestinal mucosal cell apoptosis. These effects may have occurred via the Sirtuin‑1/NF‑κB/p53 pathway. In conclusion, Ori treatment inhibited DSS‑induced inflammatory response, oxidative stress and intestinal mucosal apoptosis in UC mice.