ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the anti-colitic effects of diet containing seeds of Buchholzia coriacea (B. coriacea) on acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis. Methods: Male Wistar rats (70-100 g) were fed with standard diets (control group) or with same diet containing B. coriacea seeds at 12.5% or 25% for six weeks. At the sixth week, colitis was induced by intra-rectal administration of 1 mL/200 g 6% acetic acid. Animals were sacrificed at days 0 (before induction), 1, 3 and 7 post induction to assess disease severity via evaluation of stool consistency, haematological variables and histomorphometry of colon tissues. Results: A significant increase in body weight was observed in the 12.5% B. coriacea fed group compared to the control. B. coriacea significantly reduced stool consistency and microscopic scores. Histological evaluation revealed significantly decreased inflammatory aggregates in B. coriacea fed groups compared to control after colitis induction. There was a significant decrease in packed cell volume, red blood cell and haemoglobin concentration in the control group at day 1 post colitis induction compared to 12.5% B. coriacea fed groups. Neutrophils and white blood cell were also significantly increased after colitis induction in the control group while these were significantly decreased in the B. coriacea fed groups. Conclusions: The addition of B. coriacea seeds to diets promotes healing of acetic acid induced colitis by suppressing infiltration of inflammatory aggregates and ameliorating anemia.