Fig. 2.

Berberine suppresses DSS-induced proinflammatory cytokine production in the mouse colon. Mice were treated with 3% DSS in drinking water for 4 days to induce colitis, then mice were provided with water (DSS) alone or gavaged with berberine (DSS+Ber) for 3 days before euthanasia. Control mice received water alone. Colon tissues were collected for Luminex assay to detect cytokine protein levels (A). mRNA was isolated from the colon for real-time PCR analysis of indicated cytokine mRNA expression levels. The cytokine mRNA expression level in the water group was set as 100%, and mRNA expression levels in treated mice were compared with the water group (B). *P < 0.05 compared with water group and DSS+Ber group; n = at least 5 mice in each group.