Abstract: AIM: To evaluate the effects of rutae-carpine on ulcerative colitis and intestinal movement in experimental animals. METHODS: The mouse model of acute colitis was induced by colonic instillation of dinitro-chlorobenzene (DNCB)/alcohol. Rutaecarpine (10, 30, and 100 mg·kg^-1) were orally administrated to animals for 3 days. Diarrheas, colon weight index, macroscopic damage in the colon were observed and the activity of MPO and the content of PGE₂ in colon were also exam-ined.Meanwhile, the inhibitory effects of rutaecarpine on ileal contraction movement in Guinea pig which was in-duced by acetylcoline or histamine in vitro were exam-ined. RESULTS: The diarrhea and the colon weight in-dex were reduced and the macroscopic damage in the in-flammatory colon was effectively attenuated by mtae-carpine. The elevated level of MPO and PGE₂ were also significantly decreased. Ileal contraction movement in-duced by acetylcoline or histamine in vitro was strongly dose-dependent inhibited by rutaecarpine. CONCLUSION: Rutaecarpine can effectively inhibit the inflamma-tory infiltration, bleeding and proliferation in experimental ulcerative colitis and the movement of intestinal smooth muscle. Rutaecarpine may be an effective drug in treating inflammatory bowel diseases in clinic.

Key words: rutaecarpine, ulcerative colitis, my-eloperoxidase (MPO), prostaglandin K (PGE₂), intestinal contraction