Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britt.) powders attenuate ulcerative disease symptoms via dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse model
Authors: Yu-Wen Hung  , Chia-Chi Chen  , Yun-Xuan Chang  , Tzu-Yun Chi  , Ya-Peng Wang  , Tsung-Han Wu  , Ya-Ling Cyue  , Pi-Hsin Chen  , Yen-Jung Lu  , Shih-Yi Guo  , Suz-Ching Ke  , Yu-Ying Fang  , Szu-Ping Sung  , Yan-Zhong Wu  , Chien-Chao Chiu  , Ching-Feng Chiu  , Hsuan-Wen Chiu  , Wei-Huang Tsai  , Yu-Hsing Lin  , Shao-Wen Hung  
Published: September 2023

Dragon fruit is cactus based fruit that has loads of health benefits such as lowering risks of a blood sugar spike, aids in digestion etc. Its nutritional content is rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, iron etc. Its functions on the physiological regulation are well known. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are multifactorial chronic intestinal disorders. Currently, mesalamine etc. and therapeutic strategies were suggested for IBD therapy. However, the etiology of IBD remains unclear which is an ongoing challenge and side effects of therapeutic drugs must be also considered. Thus, the aim of this study was evaluated the efficacy and therapeutic strategies investigations on the attenuated IBD symptoms via administrating three doses of dragon fruit powders in the 2% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced IBD mouse model. The female C57BL/6 mice were divided respectively the normal control group (n = 10), the negative control group (n = 10), three dose groups (n = 10 per group) of dragon fruit powders (250 mg/kg BW, 500 mg/kg BW, and 1,000 mg/kg BW). Exception of the normal control group, other groups were administrated with 2% DSS for 5 days. Later, the normal drinking water was provide to C57BL/6 mice until the end of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the body weight (BW), the stool appearance/status, the macroscopic and microscopic colonic injuries, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were monitored, measured and scored. The results were showed that BW of C57BL/6 mice in the negative control group, three dragon fruit powder groups was gradually reduced during the IBD period induced by 2% DSS, and BW of C57BL/6 mice gradually increased when the 2% DSS in drinking water was replaced with the normal drinking water. When the experiment was carried out to the 3rd to 4th week, BW of the negative control group was significantly lower than that of the normal control group. The stool appearance/status was presented that stool score in the negative control group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (p < 0.001). The stool score in the high-dose dragon fruit powder group was significantly lower than that in the negative control group (p < 0.001). The macroscopic colons of C57BL/6 mice were performed at the end of the experiment. (1) Gut weight: It can be seen that gut weight in the normal control group is lowest and the gut weight in the negative control group is highest between all groups. The gut weight in the negative control group was higher than that in the normal control group, medium-dose dragon fruit powder group, and high-dose dragon fruit powder group were seen. (2) Gut length: It can be seen that gut length in the normal control group is longest. The gut length in the normal control group is significantly longer than that in the other groups. Exception of the normal control group, other groups were not significant difference compared to each other. (3) Gut weight-to-gut length ratio: It can be seen that gut weight-to-gut length ratio in the normal control group is lowest and the gut weight-to-gut length ratio in the negative control group is highest between all groups. The gut weight-to-gut length ratio in the negative control group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (p < 0.01). The gut weight-to-gut length ratio in the high-dose dragon fruit powder group was significantly lower than that in the negative control group. The microscopic colons of C57BL/6 mice was performed at the end of the experiment. The pathological analysis items were divided into ulcer area ratio, mucosal ulcer depth, inflammatory cell infiltration, and submucosal edema. Total histopathologic scores in the 2% DSS-induced group was also significantly higher than that of the normal control group. Finally, the evaluating MPO activity was performed by using MPO activity assay kit. It can be seen that MPO activity was significant higher in the negative control group than that in the normal control group. MPO activity in the three dragon fruit powder groups were significant lower than that in the negative control group. Taken all results together, the consumption of medium-dose (500 mg/kg BW) and high-dose (1,000 mg/kg BW) dragon fruit powders has a positive improvement effect on relieving various symptoms caused by IBD via a successful 2% DSS-induced IBD mouse model.