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 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