Anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress effects of Sclerocarya birrea (Anacardiaceae) trunk bark aqueous extract on acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats.

BACKGROUND

Sclerocarya birrea is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases, including gastritis, diarrhea, dysentery, and hemorrhoids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Sclerocarya birrea aqueous extract on acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Thirty-six male rats were fasted for 18 hours with free access to water. Colitis was induced by rectal administration of 1 ml of acetic acid (5%) after anesthesia. After the onset of disease symptoms, the rats were treated for 6 days with aqueous extract of Sclerocarya birrea at 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg. After the sixth day of treatment, the animals were fasted for 12 hours, weighed, anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of the valium (10 mg/kg)/ketamine (50 mg/kg) mixture, and then sacrificed. Blood, colon, liver, and spleen were collected for complete blood count and for biochemical and histological analyses.

RESULTS

The extract at 300 and 600 mg/kg increased (P ≤ 0.01) the reduced glutathione level and the superoxidismutase and catalase activities. This extract significantly reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, interleukin 6, and myeloperoxidase compared to the colitis control. Our extract regenerated the damaged colonic mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS

Sclerocarya birrea appears to act on colitis by modulating anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress activity.