Effects of garlicin on apoptosis in rat model of colitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of garlicin on apoptosis and expression of bcl-2 and bax in lymphocytes in rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC).


METHODS
Healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes, weighing 180+/-30 g, were employed in the present study. The rat model of UC was induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) enema. The experimental animals were randomly divided into garlicin treatment group (including high and low concentration), model control group, and normal control group. Rats in garlicin treatment group and model control group received intracolic garlicin daily at doses of 10.0 and 30.0 mg/kg and equal amount of saline respectively 24 h after colitis model was induced by alcohol and TNBS co-enema. Rats in normal control group received neither alcohol nor only TNBS but only saline enema in this study. On the 28th d of the experiment, rats were executed, the expression of bcl-2 and bax protein was determined immunohistochemically and the apoptotic cells were detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. At the same time, the rat colon mucosal damage index (CMDI) was calculated.


RESULTS
In garlicin treatment group, the positive expression of bcl-2 in lymphocytes decreased and the number of apoptotic cells was more than that in model control group, CMDI was lower than that in model control group. The positive expression of bax in lymphocytes had no significant difference.


CONCLUSIONS
Garlicin can protect colonic mucosa against damage in rat model of UC induced by TNBS enema.
Xu
Xi-Ming
XM
Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China.
Yu
Jie-Ping
JP
He
Xiao-Fei
XF
Li
Jun-Hua
JH
Yu
Liang-Liang
LL
Yu
Hong-Gang
HG
D000498:Allyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004220:Disulfides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000498:Allyl Compounds; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D004220:Disulfides; C028009:diallyl disulfide