Effects of the addition of berberine to 5-ASA on clinical score and colon length of DSS-induced chronic relapsing colitis mice.

<p>Experimental colitis was induced by giving mice three cycles of DSS. Each cycle consisted of 2% DSS for five days followed by drinking water for 14 days. The first and last day of DSS treatment were designated as days 0 and 43, respectively. From day 13, experimental mice were treated daily with 5-ASA (200 mg/kg) alone or 5-ASA plus berberine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg) through gavage of 0.2 ml of the respective solution during the 30 days of concomitant DSS-colitis induction. Control mice received water alone. The experimental protocol for DSS-induced colitis in mice and the administration of berberine is shown in (A). The degree of colitis was quantified by the disease activity index (DAI) (B) by assessing loss of body weight (C), scores of stool consistency (D) and stool bleeding (E). The colon was collected and its length was measured after mice were sacrificed by the end of treatment (F and G). ^a <i>P</i> < 0.05, ^b <i>P</i> < 0.01, ^c <i>P</i> < 0.001, ^d <i>P</i> < 0.0001 versus water; ^g <i>P</i> < 0.001 versus DSS; ^j <i>P</i> < 0.01 versus 5-ASA alone (n = 8 mice per treatment group).