Micheliolide, a new sesquiterpene lactone that inhibits intestinal inflammation and colitis-associated cancer.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Current treatments for both IBD and colitis-associated CRC suffer from numerous side effects. Parthenolide (PTL) is a sesquiterpene lactone with anti-inflammatory activity, and previous studies have demonstrated that PTL is a potent inhibitor of the NF-κB pathway. Micheliolide (MCL), substantially more stable than PTL in vivo, was recently developed, and this study aimed to decipher its suitability as therapeutic tool for IBD and IBD-associated diseases. Similar to PTL, MCL inhibited NF-κB activation and subsequent pro-inflammatory pathways activation in vitro. Pro-drug forms of both compounds inhibited the DSS-induced colitis when administrated intraperitoneally or encapsulated in a polysaccharide gel designed to release drugs in the colon. Interestingly, MCL was found to attenuate carcinogenesis in AOM/DSS-induced CRC, thus providing new candidate for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and CRC.