Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by diarrhea, hematochezia, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain. The perpetuation of inflammation and the impairment of the intestinal barrier are part of the main courses of UC, responsible for the deteriorating inflammatory condition. Patchouli alcohol (PA), extracted from Pogostemon cablin Benth., is employed to treat both inflammation and intestinal barrier damage. Its curative effect on UC was testified firstly by TNBS-induced UC, a chemically induced colitis, and further tested by DSS-induced UC, an acute attack stage of UC in which the clinical course of human UC occurs frequently. PA reduced the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 in serum and decreased the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6). Concurrently, PA upregulated the expression of tight junction protein (e.g., ZO-1, ZO-2, claudin-1, and occludin) and the mRNA of mucin-1 and mucin-2 in both animal models. Further, PA ameliorated both histological damage and clinical parameters. Thus, PA could credibly reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, protect the integrity of intestinal epithelial barrier, and repair the macroscopic colon lesions in both colitis models.

中文翻译：

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广藿香醇：一种天然倍半萜，可对抗溃疡性结肠炎的炎症和肠道屏障损伤。

溃疡性结肠炎（UC）是一种慢性、复发性胃肠道炎症性疾病，以腹泻、便血、腹胀和腹痛为特征。炎症的持续存在和肠屏障的损害是 UC 主要病程的一部分，导致炎症状况恶化。从 Pogostemon cablin Benth. 中提取的广藿香醇 (PA) 用于治疗炎症和肠道屏障损伤。其对UC的疗效首先由TNBS诱导的UC（一种化学诱导的结肠炎）证实，并进一步通过DSS诱导的UC（人类UC临床病程多发的UC急性发作阶段）进行验证。PA 降低血清中 TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-1β、IL-6 和 IL-17 的水平，并降低促炎细胞因子的 mRNA 表达（例如，iNOS、COX-2、TNF-α、IL-1β 和 IL-6）。同时，PA 上调了两种动物模型中紧密连接蛋白（例如，ZO-1、ZO-2、claudin-1 和 occludin）以及 mucin-1 和 mucin-2 的 mRNA 的表达。此外，PA 改善了组织学损伤和临床参数。因此，PA 可以可信地降低促炎细胞因子的表达，保护肠上皮屏障的完整性，并修复两种结肠炎模型中的宏观结肠病变。