[Assessment of the protective role of herbal drug iberogast [STW5] in prevention of hepatic histopathological damage caused by acute inflammation in rats]

Iberogast with commercial name of STW 5 is a well known herbal drug, which contains stable components of hydroethanolic extract from 9 different herbal drugs. This study was carried out with the purpose of assessing the protective effects of STW 5 in different doses on the hepatic histopathological damages induced by experimental cecal ligation and puncture [CLP] model in septic rats. In this experimental study, 36 rats were divided into six groups [six rats in each group]: Sham-operated [SOP]; CLP group; CLP+STW 5 [received doses of 2.5, 5, and 10mg/kgBW] as treatment groups; and CLP+Indomethacin [10mg/kgBW] as positive control. The herbal drug STW 5 and Indomethacin were injected ip, immediately after sepsis induction. After 24 hour, the rats were sacrificed and the liver tissue was qualitatively and quantitatively examined in terms of histological changes. The differences between the data were determined by one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's HSD and the significant levels were defined as p<0.05. The findings indicated that increased level of infiltrated and/or sequestrated polymorphonuclear neutrophils [PMNs] and also, elevated level of histological index of the severity of liver injuries in the CLP group were not improved after treatment with Iberogast. Considering the results of this study, ip injection of STW 5 immediately after sepsis induction had no effect on the modulation of histological parameters related to liver damages in CLP rat model

[Effect of caraway essential oils on the level of oxidative stress factors in heart and kidney tissues of septic rats]

Sepsis is a systemic response to severe infections leading to organ failure and death. Recently the role of herbal drugs in the management of the inflammatory response has come under increased scrutiny. Caraway is a well known traditional herbal plant believed to contain active components with pharmacological properties such as antioxidative effects. In this study attempts were made to assess the protective role of caraway essential oils on parameters related to oxidative stress in heart and kidney of rats with sepsis induced by experimental cecal ligation and puncture [CLP] method. The rats were divided into five groups i.e: controls or Sham-operated [SOP]; CLP group; intervention group of CLP + essential caraway oils, 50 and 100 mg/kg injected intra peritoneally [IP]; and CLP + Indomethacin group 10 mg/kg, [IP], chosen as positive control. Twenty-four hours after CLP, the rats were sacrificed and the heart and kidney tissues and plasma were removed. The tissues and plasma were tested for parameters related to oxidative stress i.e. lipid peroxidation [LP], glutathione [GSH] and also the plasma tissue injury indexes [urea, creatinine and CK-MB]. It was found that kidney tissue was partially injured after sepsis induction as evidenced by increased level of LP and high levels of urea/creatinine. Treatment of rats with caraway oils and also indomethacin modulated these parameters showing a diminished response to CLP. These results implied that caraway oils have a protective role in preventing partial kidney damage induced by sepsis