Therapeutic effect of ginsenoside Rd in rats with TNBS-induced recurrent ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by oxidative and nitrosative stress and neutrophil infiltration. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of ginsenoside Rd (GRd) in rats with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced recurrent UC. After UC was twice-induced by intracolonic injection of TNBS, rats were intragastrically administered different doses of GRd per day for 7 days. The colonic lesions and inflammation were evaluated both histologically and biochemically. Compared with the TNBS group, GRd treatment facilitated recovery of pathologic changes in the colon after induction of recurrent UC, as evidenced by a significant reduction of colonic weight/length ratio and macroscopic and microscopic damage scores (p < 0.01). The myeloperoxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase activities with malonyldialdehyde and nitric oxide levels in colonic tissues were significantly decreased in the GRd group compared with those in the TNBS group (p < 0.01). GRd treatment was associated with remarkably increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Results showed a valuable effect of GRd against TNBS-induced recurrent UC by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration and promoting the antioxidant capacity of the damaged colonic tissue.