Background: Phenethylisothiocyanate (PEITC) is produced by Brassica food plants. PEO is a PEITC Essential Oilcontaining >95% natural PEITC. PEITC is known to produce various health benefits but its effect in alleviation ofulcerative colitis signs is unknown.Results: In two efficacy studies (acute and chronic) oral administration of PEO was effective at remitting acute andchronic signs of ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Disease activity, histology and biochemical characteristics weremeasured in the treated animals and were compared with appropriate controls. PEO treatment significantly improvedbody weights and stool consistency as well as decreased intestinal bleeding. PEO treatment also reduced mucosalinflammation, depletion of goblet cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Attenuation of proinflammatoryinterleukin1β production was observed in the colons of PEO-treated animals. Expression analyses were also carried outfor immune function related genes, transcription factors and cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-activated mousemacrophage cells. PEO likely affects an intricate network of immune signaling genes including a novel concentrationdependent reduction of total cellular Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) as well as nuclearphosphorylated-STAT1 (activated form of STAT1). A PEO-concentration dependent decrease of mRNA of C-X-C motifligand 10 (a STAT1 responsive chemokine) and Interleukin 6 were also observed.Conclusions: PEO might be a promising candidate to develop as a treatment for ulcerative colitis patients. The diseaseattenuation by PEO is likely associated with suppression of activation of STAT1 transcription and inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
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