Protective effect of hawthorn fruit on murine experimental colitis

The pathogenic mechanism and effective treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are still unknown. In the present study, we examined the protective effect of hawthorn fruit (Crataegifructus) on two murine colitis models: dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis. Mice that developed acute colitis showed signs of diarrhea, gross rectal bleeding and weight loss within 10 days. However, hawthorn fruit (2 g/kg body weight) restored the body weight and colon length and increased hemoglobin count in these animals. Hawthorn fruit not only decreased signs of inflammation such as infiltration by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and multiple erosive lesions, but also showed improvement of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a biochemical parameter of inflammation mass. TNBS colitis mice had significantly lower rates of survival than normal control animals; however, treatment with hawthorn fruit significantly improved survival in TNBS colitis mice. The results suggest that hawthorn fruit and the Kampo formula that contains this ingredient may have potential therapeutic utility in patients with IBD.