Abstract
PurposeAn herbal preparation, STW 5, used clinically in functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome, has been shown to possess properties that may render it useful in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The present work was conducted to study its effectiveness in a rat model of IBD.MethodsAn experimental model reflecting ulcerative colitis in man was adopted, whereby colitis was induced in Wistar rats by feeding them 5 % dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water for one week. STW 5 and sulfasalazine (as a reference standard) were administered orally daily for 1 week before colitis induction and continued during DSS feeding. The animals were then sacrificed, and the severity of colitis was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Colon samples were homogenized for determination of reduced glutathione, tumor necrosis factor-α, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-3 as well as myeloperoxidase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. In addition, colon segments were suspended in an organ bath to test their reactivity towards carbachol, KCl, and trypsin.ResultsSTW 5 and sulfasalazine were both effective in preventing the shortening of colon length and the increase in both colon mass index and total histology score as well as the changes in biochemical parameters measured except changes in dismutase activity. DSS-induced colitis led to marked depression in colonic responsiveness to the agents tested ex vivo, an effect which was normalized by both drugs.ConclusionsThe findings point to a potential usefulness of STW 5 in the clinical setting of ulcerative colitis.
Highlights
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in man is usually manifested either as ulcerative colitis (UC) or as Crohn's disease
dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis led to marked depression in colonic responsiveness to the agents tested ex vivo, an effect which was normalized by both drugs
The findings point to a potential usefulness of STW 5 in the clinical setting of ulcerative colitis
Summary
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in man is usually manifested either as ulcerative colitis (UC) or as Crohn's disease. In both conditions, the inflammatory processes in the gut are associated with disturbances in gastrointestinal motility [1, 2]. The model is widely used for screening purposes because of its ease of induction, reproducibility, well-characterized mucosal injury [3], and its responsiveness to effective agents such as sulfasalazine. The aims of management of IBD are the induction and maintenance of remission. The search, continues in the hope of finding effective and relatively nontoxic agents that could be useful in prolonging remission intervals while minimizing adverse reactions
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