Effect of curcuma extract on 5-HT biphasic activity (contraction and then relaxation) in mouse distal colon.

<p>Mouse distal colon smooth muscle has been exposed to 5-HT (50 µM) before (control) and after exposure to 0.1 mg/ml curcuma extract for 30 min.. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 3-5). Error bars are not shown where they are covered by the point itself.</p

Spasmolitic effect of curcuma extract on K⁺ (80 mM) induced contraction on isolated ileum (dark blu) and on isolated distal colon (light blu).

<p>Dose-response curves of curcuma extract. Data are means ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 3-5). Error bars are not shown where they are covered by the point itself.</p

Effect of curcuma on histamine-induced contraction in isolated mice ileum.

<p>(A) Cumulative concentration-response curves were obtained before and after exposure to curcuma extract for 30 minutes. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 5-6). (B) Time course of curcuma extract effect on histamine-induced contraction in isolated mice ileum (100%). Cumulative concentration-response curves were obtained before and after exposure to Curcuma extract (0.025 mg/ml) for 5, 15, 30, and 45 minutes. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 4-7). (C) Time course of effect of curcuma-extract (0.025 mg/ml) on histamine-induced contraction in isolated mice ileum. Cumulative concentration-response curves were obtained before and after exposure to curcuma extract (0.025 mg/ml) and following washing for 5, 30, and 60 minutes. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 3-5). Error bars are not shown where they are covered by the point itself. </p

Basal contractile activity: effect of Curcuma extract 1 mg/ml.

<p>(A,B) baseline gastric smooth muscle phasic contractions before (A) and after curcuma extract addition (B). (C,D): races of baseline trachea smooth muscle phasic contractions before (C) and after curcuma administration (D ). (E,F): traces of baseline smooth muscle bladder phasic contractions before (E) and after curcuma administration (F). X axis (g) and Y axis (h). (G): spontaneous phasic contractions frequency in gastric fundus, trachea, bladder strips (mean ± SEM) (C): Spontaneous phasic contractions amplitude in gastric fundus, trachea, bladder strips (mean ± SEM). In all cases Curcuma vs controls <i>P</i> > 0.05.</p

Ileum Spontaneous and Induced motility.

<p>Amplitude (A) and Frequency (B) of spontaneous phasic contractions and (C) response to CCh and Atropine in mice ileum. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 3–5) (*<i>P</i>>.01) (**<i>P</i>>.05).</p

Assessment of acute colitis and evaluation of the response to Ph. Disease Activity Index.

<p>DAI evaluation throughout the study in prevention (days 0–14), induction (days 14–24) and remission (days 24–38) in CD and Ph mice respectively (*<i>P</i><.05. **<i>P</i><.01). DSS (5% v/w) was added to tap water. DAI was evaluated: from day 1 to day 14 on 27 CD and 27 Ph mice respectively; since at day 14, 9 mice of the CD group and 9 mice of the Ph group were sacrificed, from day 14 to day 24, DAI was evaluated on 18 mice of each group; since at day 24, 9 mice of the CD group and 9 mice of the Ph group were sacrificed, from day 24 to day 38, it was evaluated on 9 mice of the CD group and 9 mice of the Ph group.</p

Gallbladder Spontaneous and Induced motility.

<p>Amplitude (A) and Frequency (B) of spontaneous phasic contractions and (C) response to CCh and Atropine in mice gallbladder. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 3–5) (*<i>P</i>>.01) (**<i>P</i>>.05).</p

Assessment of acute colitis and evaluation of the response to Ph. ¹⁸F-FDG micro PET.

<p>A. Quantification of ¹⁸F-FDG uptake (SUV) in the distal colon of Balb/c mice fed with CD and Ph. Analysis were repeated on the same mice at day 14^th, after CD and Ph (respectively n = 5; n = 5, **<i>P</i> = .0014), at day 24^th, the last of the ten days of DSS colitis induction (CD n = 5; Ph n = 5, ns), at day 38^th, fourteen days after the end of the DSS administration (CD n = 4; Ph n = 5, * <i>P</i><.05). B. Representative PET image showing different ¹⁸F-FDG accumulation in the distal colon (yellow arrows) of Balb/c mice fed with CD (left image) and Ph (right image) at the end of induction. On the left of each images the SUV chromatic scale, from 0.00 to 6.19, is reported.</p

Colon Spontaneous and Induced motility.

<p>Amplitude (A) and Frequency (B) of spontaneous phasic contractions and (C) response to CCh and Atropine in mice colon. Data are mean ± SEM values (<i>n</i> = 3–5) (*<i>P</i>>.01) (**<i>P</i>>.05).</p

Assessment of acute colitis and evaluation of the response to Ph. Oxydative stress.

<p>MDA equivalents in ileum (A) and colon homogenates (B) White bars refer to CD and black bars refer to Ph treatment in the prevention, induction and remission period. In both ileum and colon, a strong oxidative stress is observed in the CD group in the induction phase, shown by a significant increase in MDA equivalents, prevented by Ph treatment (n = 4, *<i>P</i><.001). The increase is significantly higher than in the prevention and remission phases (n = 4, *<i>P</i><.001). C. Coenzyme Q₉ levels in colon homogenate measured by HPLC. The ubiquinone content is not significantly different in all experimental conditions. Each tissue was analyzed in triplicate. Statistical analysis was performed by one way ANOVA test.</p