Partial protection of mice by microparticulate clinoptilolite GHC2 against colon shortening induced by chronic exposure to DSS. (A) schematic representation of the DSS-treatment regimen received by mice of the DSS and GHC2 group. Mice were exposed every other week to DSS (2% or 3% as indicated) and received regular chow (DSS) or chow fortified with 2% (wt/wt) microparticulate preparation GHC2 (+GHC2). Control mice were not challenged with DSS and received regular chow. (B) After 9 weeks the animals were killed, the colon was dissected, and its length determined. Shown are the individual values and a boxplot with the median and interquartile range (whiskers indicate the maxima and minima). The statistical comparison was done by ANOVA followed by pairwise multiple comparison with the Holm-Sidak procedure, which showed that—when compared to DSS-treated animals—GHC2 significantly (P = 0.001) blunted colon shortening in female animals; in male animals the difference did not reach the threshold of statistical significance (P = 0.10). For all groups with the same letter, the difference between the means was not statistically significant. If two groups have different letters, they were significantly different (P < 0.05). Males were not compared to females.