The beneficial effects of leave extract of Commiphora leptophloeos on intestinal mucositis induced by 5-fluorouracil in mice.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral administration of a hydroethanolic extract of Commiphora leptophloeos leaves (CLF) on the progression of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis.

METHODS

Female Swiss mice were orally administered CLF at doses of 10, 100, or 300 mg/kg, or saline (negative control, NC), starting 30 minutes before intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU. A positive control (PC) group received 5-FU without CLF treatment. Treatment continued until euthanasia, three days after 5-FU injection. Body weight was monitored throughout the experiment. On day 4, small intestine tissue samples were collected for histopathological analysis. Duodenal tissue was also assessed for Muc-2 immunostaining.

RESULTS

In the CLF 10, 100 and 300 mg/kg groups, the duodenum histopathological score was 1 (1-1.5) p < 0.001, 1 (1-1.5) p < 0.01; 1 (1-1.25) p < 0.01, while the PC group score was 2 (2-2.75). Immunostaining analysis for Muc-2 revealed a score of 3 (3-3) in the CLF 10 group, compared to score 1.2 (0.8-1.6) in the PC group (p < 0.001), indicating that CLF 10 increased Muc-2 expression.

CONCLUSION

The oral administration of a hydroethanolic extract of CLF protected the duodenal segment of Swiss mice from 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis, likely by increasing mucin production.