Anti-inflammatory effects of puffed turmeric extract with oriental herb extract in acute colitis mice

Abstract

Cases of inflammatory bowel diseases including ulcerative colitis are increasing in Korea and development of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely investigated. Natural products with anti-inflammatory properties are rising as safe candidates for NSAIDs. The extract of turmeric or puffed turmeric mixed with herbal extract (goji berry, liquorice, lycium root, and dong quai) was treated to acute colitis mice by oral gavage. The symptoms of colitis, i.e., body weight loss, fecal score, and shortened colon length, were significantly attenuated by puffed turmeric extract with the herbal extract. Non-puffed turmeric extract with herbal extract, however, exhibited a very marginal recovery. Tissue culture supernatant of colons further revealed that both puffed turmeric and non-puffed turmeric extracts with herbal extract suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production at a comparable level. These results indicate that puffing is a simple and promising process of turmeric for enhancement of anti-inflammatory properties.