Scutellariae Radix augments ulceration but attenuates proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine gene induction in the small intestine during indomethacin-induced enteropathy in mice

Abstract

Our previous report described the enhancement of intestinal bleeding and anemia associated with indomethacin (INDO)-induced enteropathy in mice by oral administration of Scutellariae Radix (SR) extract. We here demonstrate that SR extract enhanced ulceration but attenuated the elevation of expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and CCL2 gene transcripts in the small intestine during INDO-induced enteropathy. Our observations further support that INDO-induced enteropathy is aggravated by the oral administration of SR extract. This effect of SR extract may be due to the modulation of immune-inflammatory processes possibly through the suppression of proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine induction.