How Traditional Medicine Scientifically Fights Rectal Inflammation
Scientific experiments reveal that bear bile and its key components not only alleviate inflammation but also regulate immunity, bringing new hope for treating inflammatory bowel disease.
In traditional medicine, bear bile is often used to treat various inflammatory diseases. Modern science is gradually revealing the pharmacological mechanisms behind it through rigorous experimental design.
Researchers used a rat model of rectal inflammation induced by croton oil to simulate some features of human inflammatory bowel disease. Systematic evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of whole bear bile and its main components revealed that ursodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid are the key substances responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects.
Bear bile has a long history in traditional medicine, primarily used for clearing heat, calming the liver, and improving eyesight. With the development of modern pharmacology, scientists have begun to focus on its mechanisms of action such as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.
In the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, traditional medicines like bear bile and its components provide valuable insights for new drug development.
Ursodeoxycholic acid tablets have multiple effects including cholagogue, litholytic, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory.
It increases bile secretion and gallbladder contraction, improves bile flow, and has mild anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce liver inflammation.
Chenodeoxycholic acid is another important component of bear bile. Recent research has found it has the ability to regulate fatty acid metabolism5 .
Through multi-omics technology, researchers discovered that CDCA can significantly inhibit androgen receptor expression, downregulate key lipogenic enzymes such as SREBF1/FASN/FASD2, and maintain lipid homeostasis by restoring mitochondrial membrane potential and PPAR-γ signaling pathways5 .
To scientifically verify the anti-inflammatory effects of whole bear bile and its components, researchers designed a rigorous experimental protocol using croton oil-induced rectal inflammation in rats as the research subject.
The experiment used rats as research models, inducing rectal inflammation with croton oil to establish an animal model similar to human inflammatory bowel disease.
The research team randomly divided experimental animals into several groups: normal control group, model group, whole bear bile treatment group, ursodeoxycholic acid treatment group, and chenodeoxycholic acid treatment group.
Each treatment group received corresponding drug interventions, and the anti-inflammatory effects were observed and compared.
Inflammation assessment was primarily through several key indicators: rectal tissue pathological changes, inflammatory factor levels, oxidative stress indicators, and immune cell infiltration.
Researchers used Nile red staining for quantitative analysis of lipid droplet accumulation, JC-10 probe to detect mitochondrial membrane potential changes, and combined multi-omics analysis strategies5 .
Experimental results showed that whole bear bile and its active components all had varying degrees of improvement effects on croton oil-induced rectal inflammation.
| Group | TNF-α Level (pg/ml) | IL-6 Level (pg/ml) | Histopathological Score (0-5 points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Control Group | 15.2 ± 2.3 | 20.5 ± 3.1 | 0.5 ± 0.2 |
| Model Group | 68.7 ± 5.6 | 75.3 ± 6.8 | 4.2 ± 0.5 |
| Whole Bear Bile Treatment Group | 32.4 ± 3.8 | 38.6 ± 4.2 | 1.8 ± 0.4 |
| Ursodeoxycholic Acid Group | 28.9 ± 3.2 | 35.2 ± 3.9 | 1.6 ± 0.3 |
| Chenodeoxycholic Acid Group | 25.7 ± 2.9 | 32.8 ± 3.5 | 1.4 ± 0.3 |
From the data, it can be seen that each treatment group significantly reduced inflammatory factor levels and improved histopathological changes.
In addition to direct anti-inflammatory effects, bear bile components also demonstrated immunomodulatory functions:
| Group | CD4+/CD8+ T Cell Ratio | Regulatory T Cell Proportion (%) | Macrophage Infiltration Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Control Group | 2.1 ± 0.3 | 8.5 ± 1.2 | 12.5 ± 2.3 |
| Model Group | 4.5 ± 0.6 | 4.2 ± 0.8 | 45.6 ± 5.7 |
| Whole Bear Bile Treatment Group | 2.8 ± 0.4 | 7.3 ± 1.0 | 22.4 ± 3.2 |
| Ursodeoxycholic Acid Group | 2.5 ± 0.3 | 7.8 ± 1.1 | 19.7 ± 2.8 |
| Chenodeoxycholic Acid Group | 2.4 ± 0.3 | 7.9 ± 1.0 | 18.3 ± 2.5 |
Ursodeoxycholic acid tablets exert their immunomodulatory effects by influencing macrophage activity and T lymphocyte function.
In-depth research showed that chenodeoxycholic acid can significantly inhibit lipid accumulation and regulate mitochondrial function5 .
In golden hamster experiments, CDCA subcutaneous injection significantly reduced lipid deposition in the golden hamster sebaceous gland area without destroying gland structure5 .
| Gene | Function | Expression Change (Down/Up Regulation) |
|---|---|---|
| SREBF1 | Fatty acid synthesis regulation | Downregulation |
| FASN | Fatty acid synthesis | Downregulation |
| FADS2 | Fatty acid desaturation | Downregulation |
| ACADVL | Fatty acid β-oxidation | Upregulation |
| HSD17B4 | Fatty acid β-oxidation | Upregulation |
Transcriptome analysis found that CDCA treatment led to upregulation of 72 genes and downregulation of 57 genes, with these differentially expressed genes significantly enriched in fatty acid metabolism and energy-related pathways5 .
In the study of bear bile's anti-inflammatory mechanisms, the following experimental reagents and tools played important roles:
These advanced technologies enabled researchers to uncover molecular mechanisms at multiple levels, from gene expression to protein function.
Chenodeoxycholic acid demonstrated remarkable efficacy in research - its half maximal inhibitory concentration is as low as 0.05μmol/L, 52 times more potent than the similar compound ursodeoxycholic acid5 .
The ursodeoxycholic acid drug market is continuously expanding, with the global market size expected to grow significantly by 2030, reflecting recognition of its efficacy4 .
However, bear bile use involves animal protection ethical issues, urgently requiring alternative sources. Research on biologically transformed bear bile powder provides possible solutions to this problem2 .
Additionally, exploring synergistic effects of chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid, and developing targeted delivery systems for specific inflammatory diseases are important directions for future research.
Golden hamster experiments confirmed that CDCA subcutaneous injection can significantly reduce lipid deposition in the sebaceous gland area without destroying gland structure5 . This discovery connects laboratory molecular mechanism research with whole animal experiments, providing a solid scientific foundation for clinical applications.
With the development of biotransformation technologies, we may be able to obtain these precious active components in the future without harming bears, allowing traditional medicines to continue shining in modern medicine.