Effect of xylopic acid isolated from Xylopia aethiopica on acetic acid‐induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Abstract

Xylopic acid (XA) is the principal constituent isolated by bio-fractionation from the dried fruit of Xylopia aethiopica, a known anti-inflammatory plant [1, 2]. The anti-inflammatory activity of xylopic acid has been investigated. In a previous publication, we established that the observed anti-inflammatory effect of Xylopic acid in H2S-induced paw oedema was as a result of the arachidonic acid pathway Osafo et al. [3]. This study establishes the anti-colitic activity of XA through inhibition of reactive oxygen species generation in vivo. Intrarectal challenge of rats with acetic acid induces colitis, which bears resemblance, in terms of its pathogenesis, histopathology and inflammatory profile, to that in humans. Rats were treated with xylopic acid or sulphasalazine and challenged intrarectally with 4 ml 1% acetic acid and monitored over 8-day period. Macroscopic and microscopic findings were then made after the 8 day study period. The rats treated with XA showed a decreased gross mucosal injury caused by the acetic acid at 10, 30 and 100 mg kg−1. Treatment with XA also resulted in decreased colonic epithelial expression of argyrophylic nucleolar organiser regions (AgNORs) at 10, 30 and 100 mg kg−1 respectively with significant decrease (P < 0.0001) in the quantitative expression of AgNORs/nucleus ratio to levels comparable with non-colitic control. Treatment with XA also significantly (P < 0.0001) increased the activity of SOD, CAT and APx at 10 – 100 mg kg−1 while decreasing the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO). There was also reduced expression of MDA at the same doses. This study establishes that xylopic acid possesses anti-colitic activity in rats. Support or Funding Information No funding was obtain for this work. Control (untreated) (A), acetic acid control (B), sulphasalazine 500 mg kg−1 (C), XA 10 mg kg−1(D), XA 30 mg kg−1 (E) and XA 100 mg kg−1 (F). (a) Representative pictomicrographs and (b) Average count per 10 nuclei determined at ×10 magnification. [insert: × 40]. Non-colitic control (A), colitic control (B) sulphasalazine 500 mg kg−1 (C), XA 10 mg kg−1 (D), XA 30 mg kg−1 (E) and XA 100 mg kg−1 (F). *P < 0.0001 when compared with colitic control. #P < 0.0001 when compared with non-colitic control; N = 3. Assay of SOD (A), CAT (B), APx (C) and MPO (D) in XA-treated rats. ###P < 0.0001, φP = 0.012, φφP = 0.0012, ttP < 0.001, tttP < 0.0001, ddP = 0.01, dddP = 0.001, aaP < 0.002, rP < 0.0001, vP = 0.00012, xP < 0.0001, zP < 0.05, nsP > 0.05 when compared with non-colitic control; N = 3. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.