Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is characterised by chronic inflammation of the colonic mucosa. Probiotics, Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus acidophilus have gained attention as a potential therapeutic strategy for UC. This study aims to evaluate the effects of probiotics containing B. infantis and L. acidophilus (PROBILA) on the expression of tumour growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin (IL)-17, and IL-10 in dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC). Twenty-four healthy adult male rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control, UC, UC+5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), and UC+PROBILA. UC was induced by administering 5% DSS for 5 days, followed by oral treatment of 5-ASA or PROBILA for 8 days. TGF-β, IL-17, and IL-10 expression levels were assessed using the hotspot method, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the Allred scoring system, respectively. PROBILA treatment significantly reduced TGF-β expression compared with the UC group. The Mann–Whitney test revealed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between TGF-β TGF-expression in the DSS+PROBILA and DSS+5-ASA groups. Post-treatment IL-10 levels were higher in the UC+PROBILA group (4.67 ± 1.033 mmol/L) than in the UC group (5 ± 1.265 mmol/L), suggesting the potential efficacy of PROBILA in enhancing IL-10 expression. These findings highlight the immunomodulatory effects of B. infantis and L. acidophilus (PROBILA) in DSS-induced UC, supporting their potential therapeutic role in managing inflammation.