Can Leafy Vegetable Source of Omega-3 fatty Acids Ameliorate Acute Intestinal Inflammation Induced in Mice? A Case study of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Aim: To investigate the ameliorative effect of purslane (Portulaca oleracea), an omega-3 rich green leafy vegetable in the treatment therapy of experimental ulcerative colitis in mice.

Study Design: In vivo evaluation of the ameliorative effect of purslane on ulcerative colitis.

Place and Duration: Purslane leaves were obtained from the Agricultural Research Institute in Newe Yaár, Israel. Female C57BL/6J mice were purchased from Harlan Animal Research Laboratories Ltd. (Jerusalem, Israel). The actual studies were undertaken at the Department of Nutritional Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel, between October 2008 and December 2009.

Methodology: Twenty-five C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) control group, high-dose (24%) purslane group, medium-dose (8%) purslane group or low-dose (0.8%) purslane group receiving 3.5% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in their drinking water for eight days after ten days of receiving the feeding regime as described above. A normal control group was also employed to receive drinking water plus standard diet for the whole duration of the experiment. The animals were sacrificed and subjected to histopathological analysis, as well as myeloperoxide activity, and disease activity index determination.

Results: Animals fed the different concentrations of purslane did not exhibit a statistically significant (P>0.05) trend towards histopathological and clinical improvement after the eighth day of DSS administration. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) observed in fatty acid profile between the intervention and the DSS control groups 8 days post-DSS. However, from the study the higher the consumption of purslane (>6g/d), the higher the concentration of the fatty acid profile in blood plasma. Also, no significant decrease in neutrophil infiltration was observed, as depicted by myelohyperoxidase activity.

Conclusion: Our study concluded that oral administration of purslane at concentrations up to 24% could not suppress ulcerative colitis in mice.