Data underlying the research of: “Prevention of ulcerative colitis in mice by sweet tea (Lithocarpus litseifolius) via the regulation of gut microbiota and butyric acid-mediated anti-inflammatory signaling"

Sweet tea (Lithocarpus litseifolius [Hance] Chun) is a new resource for food raw materials with plenty of health functions. However, whether sweet tea can prevent ulcerative colitis (UC) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive effect and potential mechanism of sweet tea extract (STE) on UC in mice. 3% Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced UC mice were treated with either STE (100 and 400 mg/kg·bw), salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) or distilled water for 2 weeks. The severity of UC were mainly evaluated by disease activity index (DAI) score, colon inflammatory markers and colon histopathological examination. The proteins expression were explored by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid content were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and GC-MS metabolic assay, respectively.