Method of oral delivery affects vitamin C-mediated alleviation of colitis in a mouse model

Vitamin C could be a potential candidate for antioxidant therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, but efficient small intestinal absorption of vitamin C prevents it from reaching the colon, limiting the direct antioxidative effect on inflamed colonic tissue. We applied a colitis mouse model to compare three oral delivery strategies for high-dose vitamin C: dissolved in drinking water, mixed into peanut butter, and in colon-targeted microcontainers administered with peanut butter. Mice were administered dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to induce UC symptoms. Healthy control and DSS control groups were included. Alleviation of disease symptoms and microbial dysbiosis were assessed to elucidate the effects of encapsulation and stabilization of vitamin C during intestinal transit. Vitamin C in peanut butter, independent of microcontainers, alleviated UC symptoms. Administration in drinking water surprisingly exacerbated symptoms compared to the DSS control group. DSS-treatment caused an increased level of facultative anaerobes in the fecal microbial community that was not affected by vitamin C administration. Vitamin C partially reduces disease activity index in DSS-treated mice, when delivered in peanut butter, likely promoting vitamin C stability. Drinking water delivery did not support vitamin C-related alleviating effects. None of the evaluated delivery strategies affected the DSS-induced changes of the microbial community.