LAUSR

&NA; In the present study, the therapeutic effects of crude anthocyanins (ACN) from the fruits of Lycium ruthenicum Murray and the main monomer of ACN, petunidin 3‐O‐[rhamnopyranosyl‐(trans‐p‐coumaroyl)]‐5‐O‐[&bgr;‐d‐glucopyranoside] (P3G), on the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice were investigated. Both ACN and P3G showed intestinal anti‐inflammatory effects, evidenced by restoration of various physical signs (body weight, feed quantity, solid fecal weight and colon length were increased, and DAI score was decreased), reduction of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and related mRNA (such as TNF‐&agr;, IL‐6, IL‐1&bgr; and IFN‐&ggr;), and promotion of the intestinal barrier function by histological and immunofluorescence analysis (proteins such as ZO‐1, occludin and claudin‐1 were increased). Furthermore, the effects on gut microbiota community of DSS‐induced colitis in mice have been investigated. It was found that Porphyromonadaceae, Helicobacter, Parasutterella, Parabacteroides, Oscillibacter and Lachnospiraceae were the key bacteria associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Taken together, P3G and ACN ameliorated DSS‐induced colitis in mice through three aspects including blocking proinflammatory cytokines, increasing tight junction protein and modulating gut microbiota. What's more, P3G showed better anti‐inflammatory effects than ACN. Graphical abstract Figure. No caption available. HighlightsL. ruthenicum anthocyanins showed anti‐inflammatory effects on DSS‐induced colitis in mice.L. ruthenicum anthocyanins down‐regulated inflammatory related cytokines in response to IBD.L. ruthenicum anthocyanins up‐regulated tight junction proteins in response to IBD.L. ruthenicum anthocyanins could modulate gut microbiota and enhance production of SCFAs.