Curcumin Ameliorates DSS-Induced Colitis in Mice Through Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Metabolites

In this study, we established a mouse colitis model using DSS to investigate the impact of curcumin on gut injury, the intestinal microbiota, and fecal metabolites. The findings indicated that curcumin effectively mitigated weight loss and colon shortening caused by colitis, enhanced the expression...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chengxue Yi, Yuxuan Xia, Jiajing Yan, Wen Xia, Haoyu Wang, Fei Mao, Pan Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Life
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/7/1153
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Summary:In this study, we established a mouse colitis model using DSS to investigate the impact of curcumin on gut injury, the intestinal microbiota, and fecal metabolites. The findings indicated that curcumin effectively mitigated weight loss and colon shortening caused by colitis, enhanced the expression of anti-inflammatory factor <i>IL-10</i> mRNA (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory factors (<i>IL-1β</i>, <i>IL-6</i>, and <i>TNF-α</i> mRNA; <i>p</i> < 0.05). 16S rDNA sequencing analysis showed that in the CUR group, compared to the NC and DSS groups, the abundances of Bacteroides, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136, and Ruminococcaceae UGC 014 significantly increased, while that of Lactobacillus markedly decreased. Additionally, compared with the DSS group, the CUR group demonstrated a significant decrease in levels of metabolites associated with nucleic acid and fat metabolism, including xanthosine, isocitric acid, and D-xylose. Conversely, levels of metabolites of curcumin, such as demethoxycurcumin and tetrahydrocurcumin, were significantly elevated in the CUR group. Curcumin appears to offer protection against mouse colitis by potentially enhancing the composition of the gut microbiota and regulating metabolic and inflammatory processes through its metabolites.
ISSN:2075-1729