Vinpocetine Ameliorates Acetic Acid-Induced Colitis by Inhibiting NF-κB Activation in Mice

The idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) comprise two types of chronic intestinal disorders: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Recruited neutrophils and macrophages contribute to intestinal tissue damage via production of ROS and NF-κB-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines. The introduction of anti-TNF-α therapies in the treatment of IBD patients was a seminal advance. This therapy is often limited by a loss of efficacy due to the development of adaptive immune response, underscoring the need for novel therapies targeting similar pathways. Vinpocetine is a nootropic drug and in addition to its antioxidant effect, it is known to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, partly by inhibition of NF-κB and downstream cytokines. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effect of the vinpocetine in a model of acid acetic-induced colitis in mice. Treatment with vinpocetine reduced edema, MPO activity, microscopic score and macroscopic damage, and visceral mechanical hyperalgesia. Vinpocetine prevented the reduction of colonic levels of GSH, ABTS radical scavenging ability, and normalized levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Moreover, vinpocetine reduced NF-κB activation and thereby NF-κB-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-33 in the colon. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that vinpocetine has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic effects in a model of acid acetic-induced colitis in mice and deserves further screening to address its suitability as an approach for the treatment of IBD.