Therapeutic effects of an oral adsorbent on acute dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis and its recovery phase in rats, especially effects of elimination of bile acids in gut lumen.

Department of Internal Medicine, Nagahama Red Cross Hospital, Shiga, Japan.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease is still unknown. However, it is possible that faecal bile acids influence the clinical course. AIMS: To evaluate the eliminating effects of faecal bile acids by the oral adsorbent on dextran sulphate sodium-induced rat colitis. METHODS: Rats were given 3% dextran sulphate sodium aqueous solution for 7 days, with or without concomitant administration of oral adsorbent, or the rats were given dextran sulphate sodium for 7 days, followed with or without oral adsorbent for 5 days. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations of the colons and measurement of faecal bile acids were performed. The cytotoxicity of bile salts on Caco-2 cells was also evaluated. RESULTS: Oral adsorbent tended to attenuate the dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis. Oral adsorbent was fairly effective in reducing faecal hyodeoxycholic acid concentration. A positive correlation was found between the size of the ulcer area and the faecal hyodeoxycholic acid concentration. In a cell culture study, cytotoxicity of bile acid was parallel with increasing hydrophobicity of the bile acid. However, hyodeoxycholate exhibited severe cytotoxicity, despite its hydrophilic properties. CONCLUSIONS: Oral adsorbent tended to attenuate the dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis and tended to promote the recovery process. It is possible that bile acids in the gut lumen influence the progression of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis and its repair process.

PMID: 11142579 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]