title: Vitamin E has a dual effect of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased free radical production, decreased antioxidant capacity and excessive inflammation are well-known features in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and a scavenger of hydroxyl radicals, and it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activities in tissues. We investigated the effects of vitamin E on inflammatory activities using an acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis model in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups. Acetic acid was given to 2 groups of animals to induce colitis while the other 2 groups received saline intrarectally. One AA-induced colitis group and 1 control group received vitamin E (30 U/kg/d) intraperitoneally and the pair groups received saline. After 4 days, we evaluated colonic changes biochemically by measuring proinflammatory cytokine levels in tissue homogenates and by histopathologic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acetic acid caused colonic mucosal injury, whereas vitamin E administration suppressed these changes in the AA-induced colitis group (p < 0.001). Administration of AA resulted in increased levels of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde, and decreased levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase; vitamin E reversed these effects (all p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study proposes that vitamin E is an effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may be a promising therapeutic option for ulcerative colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey. gulgunsahintahan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Gulgun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tahan
authors.forename: Erman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aytac
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aytekin
authors.forename: Feyza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Gulen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dogusoy
authors.forename: Seval
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Veysel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tahan
authors.forename: Hafize
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uzun
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014810:Vitamin E; D009195:Peroxidase; D019342:Acetic Acid