Department of Pharmacology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, PR China.

Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are involved in pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. In this study, we examined the effects of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside (THSG), an active component extracted from Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, on acetic acid-induced acute colitis and mitomycin C-induced chronic colitis. The inflammatory degree was assessed by histology and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were determined with biochemical methods. In addition, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression was immunohistochemically studied. In acetic acid-induced acute model, THSG (60 and 120 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated colon damage, inhibited the increase of acetic acid-induced MPO activity, depressed MDA and NO level, and enhanced SOD activity. Moreover, the effects of 120 mg/kg THSG were better than that of positive control drug, 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). In mitomycin C-induced model, THSG (60 mg/kg) administered for 7 days and 24 days, significantly improved colon damage and inhibited MPO activity and MDA content while increased SOD activity only on the 7th day and debased NO level on the 24th day. Furthermore, on the 24th day, the effects of THSG were prior to that of 5-ASA. Additionally, THSG (60 mg/kg) could inhibit iNOS expression in both models. In conclusion, THSG exerts protective effects on experimental colitis through alleviating oxygen and nitrogen free radicals level and down-regulating iNOS expression.