Winged cork of Euonymus alatus alleviates experimental colitis via modulation of intestinal integrity and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis

This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of winged cork of Euonymus alatus (EEA) in a ulcerative colitis mouse model and lipopolysaccharide/adenosine triphosphate-stimulated murine macrophages. The EEA treatment significantly alleviated clinical symptoms, including weight loss and colon shortening, and improved histological features by reducing immune cell infiltration and preserving crypt architecture.

EEA enhanced intestinal barrier function in Caco-2 cells by restoring TEER values, reducing paracellular permeability, and upregulating tight junction proteins (e.g. zonula occludens-1 and occludin). In murine macrophages, EEA attenuated pyroptotic cell death, suppressed the secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, and downregulated the activation of inflammasome-associated proteins. We used UHPLC-MS/MS analysis to identify 14 phytochemicals in EEA, including flavonoids and triterpenoids with known anti-inflammatory activity, which may act synergistically to mediate these protective effects.