Momordica charantia Polysaccharide intervention ameliorates the symptoms of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis by modulating gut microbiota and inhibiting inflammation

Abstract

Momordica Charantia Polysaccharide (MCP), the main active ingredient of M. charantia, exhibits multiple pharmacological properties. However, its effects and mechanisms against ulcerative colitis (UC) remain unclear. In this study, we employed a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis model to investigate the therapeutic potential of MCP. Our results revealed that prophylactic MCP dramatically attenuated the pathological symptoms associated with colitis in mice, including body weight loss, reduction in colon length, and tissue damage. Moreover, we found prophylactic MCP reduced DSS-induced intestinal permeability and enhanced intestinal barrier integrity. Notably, we observe that prophylactic MCP restored the diversity and richness of the gut microbiota, thereby ameliorating gut microbiota dysbiosis in DSS-induced mice models. Furthermore, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments demonstrated that the microbiota derived from MCP-dosed mice remarkably alleviated colitis symptoms. Collectively, our study provided valuable insights into the potential of MCP as a promising prebiotic agent for maintaining intestinal health, and demonstrated that MCP ameliorated colitis in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.