Volume 50, Issue 6:

Effects of Pleuran (ß-Glucan Isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus) on Experimental Colitis in Rats

V. NOSÁĽOVÁ, P. BOBEK1, S. ČERNÁ1, Š. GALBAVÝ2, S. ŠTVRTINA2

Institute of Experimental Pharmacology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 1Research Institute of Nutrition and 2Institute of Pathological Anatomy, School of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Received November 13, 2000
Accepted February 28, 2001


Summary
The effects of pleuran, ß-1,3 glucan isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus, were studied in a model of acute colitis induced by intracolonic administration of acetic acid. There was a reduction of the colonic damage score, colonic wet weight and wet/dry weight ratio 48 h after single luminal 2 % pleuran suspension pretreatment. Similar results were obtained after repeated intraperitoneal administration of pleuran in doses of 30 and 100 mg/kg. Pleuran given orally as a 10 % food component over 4 weeks was effective in reducing the extent of mucosal damage, but did not prevent the increase of myeloperoxidase in the injured colonic segment. In the segment without macroscopic evidence of inflammation, myeloperoxidase activity was significantly lower as documented by histological examination. The results indicate a possible role of this immunomodulator in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.


Key words
Pleuran · Glucan · Acetic acid induced colitis · Rats

Reprint requests
Viera Nosáľová, M.D., Ph.D., Institute of Experimental Pharmacology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 842 16 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. E-mail: exfanosv@savba.sk

 

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
© 2001 by the Institute of Physiology,
Czech Academy of Sciences

ISSN 0862 - 8408

Issue 6