Aged Ripe Pu-erh Tea Reduced Oxidative Stress-Mediated\nInflammation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis Mice by Regulating\nIntestinal Microbes

Abstract

Ripened pu-erh tea has the biological\nactivity of antioxidation\nand anti-inflammation, which inhibits the related parameters of colitis.\nHowever, the role of storage-induced changes in bioactive ingredients\nof ripened pu-erh tea in colitis remains unclear. In this study, 3.5%\ndextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mice were treated with 10 mg/kg\nbw/day extracts, aged 14 years (P2006) and unaged (P2020) ripened\npu-erh tea, respectively, for 1 week. We found that ripened pu-erh\ntea, especially P2006, inhibited the intestinal oxidative stress-mediated\ninflammation pathway (TLR4/MyD88/ROS/p38MAPK/NF-κB p65), upregulated\nthe expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (Mucin-2, ZO-1,\noccludin), promoted M2 polarization of macrophages, and in turn, improved\nthe intestinal immune barrier, which stemmed from the reshaping of\nintestinal microbiota (e.g., increased <i>Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group</i> and <i>Akkermansia</i> levels). Our results speculate\nthat drinking aged ripe pu-erh tea (10 mg/kg bw/day in mice, a human\nequivalent dose of 7 g/60 kg bw/day) has a practical effect on alleviating\nand preventing the development of intestinal inflammation.