Aesculin protects against DSS-Induced colitis though activating PPARγ and inhibiting NF-κB pathway

Aesculin, a natural product from the traditional and widely-used Chinese medicine named Cortex fraxini, has attracted attention as a novel therapeutic modulator of inflammation. However, little is known about its effect on ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of aesculin on colitis. The results showed that, few cytotoxicity of aesculin were shown in vivo and in the RAW264.7 macrophages, while aesculin significantly relieved the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis and restrained the expression of inflammatory factors including iNOS, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha in both peritoneal macrophages and colonic tissues from DSS-induced mice and RAW264.7 macrophages. Of note, aesculin attenuated the activity of NF-kappa B signaling while promoted the nuclear localization of PPAR-gamma in both rectal tissues from DSS-induced mice and LPS-stimulated macrophages. These findings demonstrated that the protection of aesculin against ulcerative colitis might be due to its regulation on the PPAR-gamma and NF-kappa B pathway. Thus, aesculin could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.