Abstract: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic, idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease characteristically restricted to the colonic mucosa. While the precise etiology of UC remains to be fully elucidated, a complex interplay of genetic predisposition and autoimmune responses drives persistent mucosal inflammation and structural injury. The present study investigated the effects of a novel taper-up/taper-off oral opium tincture administration protocol on the gene expression profile of DSS-induced UC rat models using microarray analysis. Acute colitis was induced in rats by Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS), and UC model rats were treated with a novel oral opium tincture protocol known as the Dezhakam-Step-Time (DST) method at four different dosage levels. Disease severity was evaluated using the Disease Activity Index (DAI). Colon tissues were collected for RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, followed by gene expression profiling using microarray analysis and validation by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Gene expression profiling identified 1,138 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in UC models compared with normal controls. These DEGs were primarily associated with immune system function, inflammatory mechanisms, structural and cellular remodeling, ulcer healing, and cancer-related metabolic pathways. Oral administration of opium tincture using the taper-up/taper-off protocol markedly downregulated genes involved in inflammatory responses, antigen processing and presentation pathways, including TNF, JAK-STAT, and cytokine signaling, while significantly upregulating genes associated with wound healing. The most favorable therapeutic effects were observed at intermediate dosage levels. These findings suggest that the DST opium tincture protocol may reduce intestinal inflammation while simultaneously promoting tissue repair mechanisms, leading to reduced disease severity and potential restoration of damaged intestinal mucosa. Although the addictive potential of opium remains a major public health concern, the DST protocol was originally developed as a treatment strategy for opioid dependence. Therefore, addiction-free administration of opium tincture using the DST protocol may represent a promising therapeutic approach for reducing symptom severity and potentially lowering the risk of UC-associated colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis.
The full text of this article is available on the Clinical and Medical Images journal website and can be accessed through the link below:
https://www.jclinmedimages.org/articles/OJCMI-v6-1220.pdf