Protective effect of ginger volatile oil against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats: a light microscopic evaluation / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Ulcerative colitis is a chronically recurrent inflammatory bowel disease of unknown origin. In the present study, the effect of ginger (rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe) volatile oil on a rat model of colitis was evaluated.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Volatile oil of ginger with doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, prednisolone (4 mg/kg), or vehicle were administered orally to groups of male Wistar rats (n = 6) for 5 d. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups, each group consisting of 6 rats. Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of 2 mL of 4% (v/v) acetic acid solution. All rats were sacrificed 24 h later and the tissue injuries were assessed macroscopically and histopathologically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ginger volatile oil with all doses reduced colon weight/length ratio (P < 0.01) and the effects were similar to the reference drugs. Higher oral doses of volatile oil (200 and 400 mg/kg) reduced ulcer severity (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), ulcer area (P < 0.01) and ulcer index (P < 0.01). On the other hand, evaluation of microscopic scores showed that the dose of 400 mg/kg of volatile oil was effective to reduce inflammation severity (P < 0.01) and inflammation extent (P < 0.05) compared to the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is concluded that ginger volatile oil could effectively reduce symptoms of experimental colitis in a dose-dependent manner.</p>

Preventive effect of three pomegranate [punica granatum l.] seeds fractions on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in mice

Acute pancreatitis [AP] refers to afflicted inflammation of pancreas with unfavorable adverse effects and developed multiple organ failures. Unfortunately, there is not a certain therapeutic method for this disease. Oxidative stress has a serious role in the pathogenesis of AP. Thus, decreasing of oxidative stress may prevent induction and progression of AP. Punica granatum L. has been extensively used in traditional medicine and possesses various active biological elements. Due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate, it could be considered as a good candidate alternative medicine with beneficial effects on AP. In this study, we decided to study the protective effect of three fractions of pomegranate seeds on cerulein-induced AP. AP was induced in male Syrian mice by five intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection of cerulein [50 Mg/kg] with 1 h intervals. Treatments with pomegranate freeze-dried powder [PFDP] and hydroalcoholic pomegranate seeds extract [PSE] at doses of 125, 250, 500 mg/kg [i.p.] were started 30 min before pancreatitis induction. Pomegranate seed oil fraction [PSOF] was orally administered [50, 100, 200 ML/kg] and continued for 10 days. Pancreatic tissue was evaluated for histopathological parameters and pancreatic myeloperoxidase [MPO] activity as well as lipase and amylase levels were measured in plasma. The higher doses of three fractions [250 and 500 mg/kg for PFDP and PSE and doses of 100, 200 microL/kg for PSOF] significantly reduced amylase and lipase activity in serum [at least P < 0.01], pancreatic MPO activity [P < 0.001], edema, leukocyte infiltration and vacuolization in comparison to the control group [P< 0.05]. These results propose that pomegranate seeds fractions can prevent and/or treat the AP

Preventive effect of cichorium intybus l. two extracts on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in mice

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition of pancreas with sudden onset, high mortality rate and multiple organ failure characteristics. It has been shown that oxygen free radicals have an important role in development of pancreatitis and its complications. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxicity and gastroprotective properties of Cichorium intybus L. suggest that this plant may have beneficial effects in the management of acute pancreatitis. Five intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection of cerulean [50 microg/ kg at 1 h intervals] in mice resulted in acute pancreatitis, which was characterized by edema, neutrophil infiltration, as well as increases in the serum levels of amylase and lipase in comparison to normal mice. Different doses of C. intybus root [CRE] and aerial parts hydroalcoholic extract [CAPE] orally [50, 100, 200 mg/kg] and intraperitoneally [50, 100, 200 mg/kg] were administrated 1.0 and 0.5 h respectively before pancreatitis induction on separate groups of male mice [n=6]. Control groups treated with normal saline [5 ml/ kg] similarly. Both extracts in greater test doses [100 mg/kg and 200 m/kg, i.p.] were effective to decrease amylase [23-36%] and lipase [27-35%] levels. In oral route, the dose of 200 mg/ kg showed a significant decrease in levels of amylase [16%] and lipase [24%] activity while the greatest dose [200 mg/kg, i.p.] was only effective to diminish inflammatory features like edema and leukocyte infiltration in pancreatitis tissue [P<0.01]. Vacuolization was not significantly reduced in extracts treated groups. These data suggest that C. intybus hydroalcoholic extracts were effective to protect against experimental acute pancreatitis and the efficacy was partly dependent to the dose and was more significant after parenteral administration

Pectin film coated pellets for colon-targeted delivery of budesonide: in-vitro/in-vivo evaluation in induced ulcerative colitis in rat

The main objective of this study was to prepare colon-specific pellets of budesonide, using pectin as film coating. Pellet cores of budesonide were prepared by extrusion / spheronization technique. Pectin, in different ratios was combined with Eudragit RS30D, Eudragit NE30D or Surelease to produce film coating. The dissolution profiles of pectin coated pellets were investigated in pH of 1.2 [2 h], pH of 7.4 [4 h] and pH of 6.8 in the absence as well as presence of rat cecal contents [18 h]. Finally the selected formulation was evaluated on trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid [TNBS] induced ulcerative colitis in rat model, in comparison with conventional UC treatments. The dissolution profiles of pectin coated pellets showed that the release of budesonide in presence of rat cecal content depended on adjuvant polymer, the ratio of pectin to polymer and film thickness. Coated pellets, prepared out of pectin and Surelease at a ratio of 1:3 at coating level of 35% [w/w], could increase budesonide release statistically in presence of rat cecal content, while they released no drug in pH of 1.2 and 7.4. Animal experiments revealed the therapeutic efficacy of pectin/Surelease-coated pellets of budesonide in alleviating the conditions of TNBS-induced colitis model as reflected by weight gain, as well as improvement of clinical, macroscopic and microscopic parameters of induced colitis. This confirmed the ability of the optimized formulation for targeted drug delivery of budesonide to colon

Effect of Matricaria aurea [Loefl.] Shultz-Bip. hydroalcoholic extract on acetic acid-induced acute colitis in rats

Matricaria aurea is found abundant in Iran and has large similarities in constituents especially essential oils, flavones and flavonoides as well as traditional uses to the main species; Matricaria recutita L. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and spasmolytic properties of the main species suggest that this plant may have beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel diseases so the present study was carried out. Hydroalcoholic extract of plant with doses of 200, 400, 800 mg/kg were administered orally [p.o.] for 5 days and rectally [i.r.] [400 and 800 mg/kg] at 15 and 2 hr before ulcer induction. To induce colitis, 2 ml of acetic acid 4% was instilled intra-colonically to separate groups of male Wistar rats [n= 6]. Normal saline [2 ml], prednisolone [4 mg/kg] and hydrocortisone acetate [20 mg/kg] enema were administered to control and reference groups respectively. The tissue injures were assessed macroscopically and histopathologically. Greater doses of extract [400 and 800 mg/kg] reduced colon weight/length ratio [P< 0.01] and the highest test dose [800 mg/kg p.o. or i.r.] was effective to decrease tissue damage parameters including ulcer severity, area and index [P< 0.01] as well as inflammation severity and extent, crypt damage and total colitis index [P< 0.01] significantly. It is concluded that Matricaria aurea extract was effective to protect against acute colitis in acetic acid model and this effect was more significant with the greater doses administered orally or rectally. Further studies are warranted to ascertain the mechanisms that are involved and the responsible active constituents

Effect of hydroalcoholic and buthanolic extract of cucumis sativus seeds on blood glucose level of normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Seed of Cucumis sativus Linn, is one of the herbal remedies has been traditionally used for diabetes mellitus treatment. We studied the effect of hydroalcoholic and buthanolic extract obtained from C. sativus seeds in a model of streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic [type I] rats. Normal and diabetic male Wistar rats [STZ, 60 mg/kg, intraperitoneal] were treated daily with vehicle [5 ml/kg], hydroalcoholic [0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g/kg] and buthanolic extract [0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g/kg] and glibenclamide [1 and 3 mg/kg] separately and treatment was continued for 9 days. Blood samples were taken at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 hr of the first day and the day 9 [216 hr] of treatments for measuring the blood glucose levels. Our findings indicated that C sativus seeds extracts were not effective on reducing blood glucose levels [BGL] in normal and diabetic rats for initial phase of treatments. However, both hydroalcoholic [22.5-33.8%] and buthanolic [26.6- 45.0%] extracts were effective on diminishing BGL and controling the loss of body weight in diabetic rats compared to controls after 9 days of continued daily therapy. Glibenclamide on the other hand, had hypoglycemic action in normal [27.8-31.0%] and diabetic rats [36.0-50.0%] after acute and prolonged treatments. It is concluded that C. sativus seeds extracts [hydroalcoholic and buthanolic] had a role in diabetes control probably through a mechanism similar to euglycemic agents. Further studies are warranted to clarify the mechanisms and the exact role of this herbal medicine in control of metabolic disorders