ABSTRACT
OBJETIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 and ebselen (EB) in ulcerative colitis (UC) induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in rats. METHODS: The effects of (PhSe)2 and EB in rats submitted to DSS-induced colitis were determined by measurement of oxidative stress parameters, inflammatory response and bowel histopathological alterations. RESULTS: Animals developed moderate to severe neutrophil infiltration in histopathology assay in DSS rats and (PhSe)2 improved this response. Moreover, the treatment with (PhSe)2 decreased the oxidative damage in lipids and proteins, as well as reversed the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels in rats treated with DSS. EB was able only to reverse damage in lipids and the low levels of SOD in this animal model. CONCLUSIONS: The organoselenium compounds tested demonstrated an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity reducing the colon damage, being (PhSe)2 more effective than EB.
