Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition of the intestine with unknown etiology involving multiple immune, genetic and environmental factors. We were interested to examine the effect of total extract from Zataria multiflora Boiss, a folk medicinal plant on prevention and treatment of experimental IBD. Z. multiflora was administered (400, 600, 900 p.p.m.) through drinking water to IBD mice induced by intrarectal administration of acetic acid. Prednisolone was used as the standard drug for comparison. Biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic examinations of colon were performed. Biochemical evaluation of inflamed colon was done using assay of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration as indicators of free radical activity and cell lipid peroxidation. The activity of MPO and lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) increased in acetic acid-treated groups while recovered by pretreatment of animals with Z. multiflora (400–900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone. Z. multiflora (600 and 900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone-treated groups showed significantly lower score values of macroscopic and microscopic characters when compared with the acetic acid-treated group. The beneficial effect of Z. multiflora (900 p.p.m.) was comparable with that of prednisolone. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potentials of Z. multiflora might be the mechanisms by which this herbal extract protects animals against experimentally induced IBD. Proper clinical investigation should be carried out to confirm the activity in human.
Highlights
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises those conditions characterized by a tendency for chronic or relapsing immune activation and inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract
Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme found in neutrophils and its activity in the colon is linearly related to infiltration of neutrophils
Z. multiflora-treated (600 and 900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone-treated groups showed significantly lower score values of macroscopic and microscopic characters when compared with the control group
Summary
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises those conditions characterized by a tendency for chronic or relapsing immune activation and inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme found in neutrophils and its activity in the colon is linearly related to infiltration of neutrophils. The assessment of MPO activity is well established for quantification of intestinal inflammation [10]. In case of inflammatory conditions like IBD, the levels of neutrophils in inflamed tissues, and MPO enzyme, increase. Acetic acid-induced colitis is an inducible model of IBD, and the similarity of the inflammatory mediators profile to IBD mentioned that the inflammatory phase bears some resemblance to human intestinal inflammation [11]
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