Acetic Acid-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Sprague Dawley Rats Is Suppressed by Hydroethanolic Extract of Cordia vignei Leaves through Reduced Serum Levels of TNF-[alpha] and IL-6

Background. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a recurrent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation on the innermost lining of the colon and rectum. Leaf decoctions of Cordia vignei have been used in traditional medicine either alone or in combination with other plant preparations to treat the disease. Aim. In this study, we investigated the effect of hydroethanolic extract of Cordia vignei leaves (CVE) on acetic acid-induced UC in rats. Method. Male Sprague Dawley rats received oral treatment of either saline (10ml/kg), sulfasalazine (500mg/kg), or CVE (30-300 mg/kg) daily for 7 days. On day 4, colitis was induced by a single intrarectal administration of 500 [micro]l of acetic acid (4% v/v). Rats were sacrificed on day 8 and colons were collected for histopathological examination. Blood was also collected for haematological assessment. Results. CVE significantly (P < 0.05) prevented colonic ulceration and reduced the inflammatory score. Serum levels of TNF-[alpha] and IL-6 were significantly reduced. Depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities by acetic acid was significantly inhibited while lipid peroxidation indexed as malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the colon was reduced. However, loss of body weight was not significantly affected by treatment with CVE. Conclusion. This data suggest that CVE has a potential antiulcerative effect.