Zonarol histologically dampens DSS-induced UC in Slc:ICR mice.

A) DSS administration resulted in a significantly higher histological score, characterized by acute and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration, erosion and/or occasional ulcer formation and crypt loss, compared to normal control mice (n = 6 mice per group). Both 5-ASA and zonarol at 10 and 20 mg/kg significantly reduced the inflammatory histological score on day 15. B) In the representative H&E-stained colon sections, fewer and smaller colonic ulcers were detected in the mice in the 20 mg/kg zonarol group, compared with the DSS positive control mice after DSS stimulation for 14 days (n = 6 mice per group). Normal control mice showed no remarkable changes in the colon on day 15. Upper panel: low-power view (Scale bar = 250 µm). Bottom panel: high-power view (Scale bar = 100 µm). C) The sum of the histological ulcer length in the mice in the 20 mg/kg zonarol was significantly larger than that in the normal control mice on day 15 post-DSS administration, but was smaller than that in the DSS positive control mice (n = 6 mice per group). The values are the means ± SE. *P<0.05, ***P<0.0001.