Preventive effect on intestinal inflammation and modulation of the microbiota of ‘Nordestino’ donkey milk in experimental DNBS-induced colitis in mice

This study aimed to investigate the effects of milk against intestinal inflammation in a Balb/c mice model of colitis induced by 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS). Mice were randomly assigned to groups: non-colitic and DNBS controls, sulfasalazine (SSZ) (0.25 g kg−1 per day), and Nordestino donkey milk (DM) (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g kg−1 per day). DM improved the animals' clinical condition and preserved colonic cytoarchitecture. It also increased the intestinal barrier markers (Villin, trefoil factor 3, and occludin type 1). DM showed immunomodulatory effects, suppression of pro-inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17, iNOS, and COX-2), signaling pathways (NF-ΚB p65 and MAPK-1), as well as up-regulation of anti-inflammatory markers (IL-10 and SOCS-1). Furthermore, the DM showed antioxidant activity and homeostasis of the intestinal microbiota. These beneficial effects justify further research into using DM to improve patients' health with inflammatory bowel disease. •DM has a preventive effect on intestinal inflammation effective in protecting the cytoarchitecture colonic.•Modulates intestinal inflammation involving NF-κB p65, MAPK-1 and SOCs-1.•Decrease proinflammatory cytokine levels and myeloperoxidase and improves colonic oxidative stress in colonic tissue.•Reduces the expression of COX-2, iNOS and IL-17.•Increased the expression of MUC-2 and ZO-1 and restoring the expression of intestinal barrier markers TFF-3 and Villin.•Increased in the commensal intestinal bacteria of phylum Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, Ruminococcaceae and Muribaculum.