Panax notoginseng Attenuates Experimental Colitis in the Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium Mouse Model

Patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease are at a high risk of developing colorectal cancer. To assess the anticancer potential of botanicals, in this study, we evaluated the effects of Panax notoginseng on azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis. One week after A/J mice received azoxymethane, the animals received DSS for 8 days or were supplemented with P. notoginseng extract, at 30 or 90 mg/kg. DSS‐induced colitis was scored with the disease activity index. The severity of the inflammatory lesions was evaluated by a colon tissue histological assessment. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) were also explored. We observed that the effects of P. notoginseng on the reduction of colon inflammation, expressed in disease activity index score, were in a dose‐related manner (p < 0.01). P. notoginseng inhibited the reduction of the colon length and the loss of bodyweight in dose‐related manner (all p < 0.05). The histological assessment of the colitis and inflammatory‐related immunohistochemical data also supported the pharmacological observations. Our data suggest that P. notoginseng is a promising candidate in preventing and treating colitis and inflammation‐associated colon carcinogenesis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.