Abstract
Background Ulcerative colitis is a worldwide chronic gastrointestinal disease characterized by variable extensions of colon mucosal inflammation. The available drugs have an incomplete response with various side effects and socioeconomic impacts. Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) is a well-known medicinal plant with diverse pharmacological and therapeutic activities. As a result, in the current study, Aloe vera was selected to evaluate its therapeutic effects on experimental colitis in rats. Methods This study is intended to evaluate the possible beneficial effect of Aloe vera for the treatment of experimental colitis. Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) was used to induce experimental colitis in 60 of 70 Wistar rats. The rats were grouped in 7 clusters including healthy control, negative, positive control (received sulfasalazine), and test groups treated with Aloe vera extracts via oral or rectal routes. Macroscopic and histologic factors as well as the biochemical parameters were evaluated on day 7. Results In the present study, it was found that serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (75 vs. 44 pg./ml), interleukin-6 (41 vs. 21 pg/ml), and nitric oxide (24 vs. 6 μm/ml) in TNBS-induced untreated colitis treatment were significantly increased as compared to healthy control. Similar patterns were also observed in malondialdehyde (76.41 vs. 236.35 μg/mg) and myeloperoxidase (4.24 vs. 29.38 U/mg) in colonic tissue. Among different treatments, rectal administration of Aloe vera extract (400 mg/kg) exhibited the best result in which serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (55 pg/ml), interleukin-6 (24 pg/ml), and nitric oxide (10 μm/ml) and the levels of malondialdehyde (102.67 μg/mg), as well as myeloperoxidase (12.29 U/mg) in colon tissue, were reduced as compared to the untreated group. Also, the body weight and colon weight/length ratios were more improved in the treated group with 400 mg/kg Aloe vera extract, rectally. Conclusion Aloe vera extract exhibited a therapeutic effect in TNBS-induced colitis, and local, rectal administration of Aloe vera extract was more effective than oral administration.
Highlights
Ulcerative colitis (UC) as an annoying chronic problem is one of the two major subtypes of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) with different geographic prevalences and worldwide distribution [1, 2]
Following epithelial barrier dysfunction and immune cell activation, inflammatory cytokines and mediators (interferon-c (IFN-c), interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL13, IL-17, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) are released which may be used as disease activity indicators [6, 7]. e diagnosis of UC is based on clinical presentation and chronic colon inflammation confirmed by histology [8]
Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced rats had hypomotility, frequent loose, purulent, and bloody stools with significant weight loss compared to the sham control group. e rats treated with Aloe vera extracts in different doses (200 mg or 400 mg/kg) via different routes and sulfasalazine (500 mg/kg) showed remarkable dose- and route-dependent improvement of mentioned symptoms after 7 days of treatment. e body weight changes and improved colon weight/length ratios are demonstrated in Figure 1 on the 7th day of research
Summary
Ulcerative colitis (UC) as an annoying chronic problem is one of the two major subtypes of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) with different geographic prevalences and worldwide distribution [1, 2]. In the current study, Aloe vera was selected to evaluate its therapeutic effects on experimental colitis in rats. Is study is intended to evaluate the possible beneficial effect of Aloe vera for the treatment of experimental colitis. It was found that serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (75 vs 44 pg./ml), interleukin-6 (41 vs 21 pg/ml), and nitric oxide (24 vs 6 μm/ml) in TNBS-induced untreated colitis treatment were significantly increased as compared to healthy control. Rectal administration of Aloe vera extract (400 mg/kg) exhibited the best result in which serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (55 pg/ml), interleukin-6 (24 pg/ml), and nitric oxide (10 μm/ml) and the levels of malondialdehyde (102.67 μg/mg), as well as myeloperoxidase (12.29 U/mg) in colon tissue, were reduced as compared to the untreated group. Aloe vera extract exhibited a therapeutic effect in TNBS-induced colitis, and local, rectal administration of Aloe vera extract was more effective than oral administration
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