Plum Prevents Intestinal and Hepatic Inflammation in the Acute and Chronic Models of Dextran Sulfate Sodium‐Induced Mouse Colitis

Scope Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disease of the digestive tract and increases the risk of colon cancer. Method and Results This study evaluates the effects of dietary intervention with freeze‐dried plum (FDP), a natural antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory fruit with no toxicity on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced acute and chronic experimental colitis in a mouse model and studies the molecular mechanisms of protection through the gut–liver axis. The results show that FDP decreases the levels of inflammatory mediators, which is a nitrative stress biomarker in both acute and chronic models. FDP markedly reduces DSS‐induced injury to the colonic epithelium in both acute and chronic models. In addition, FDP significantly decreases the levels of pro‐oxidant markers such as CYP2E1, iNOS, and nitrated proteins (detected by anti‐3‐NT antibody) in DSS‐induced acute and chronic colonic injury models. Furthermore, FDP markedly reduces markers of liver injury such as serum ALT/AST, antioxidant markers, and inflammatory mediators in DSS‐induced acute and chronic colonic injury. Conclusion These results demonstrate that the FDP exhibits a protective effect on DSS‐induced acute and chronic colonic and liver injury through the gut–liver axis via antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties.