title: Protective effect of ginger volatile oil against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats: a light microscopic evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ulcerative colitis is a chronically recurrent inflammatory bowel disease of unknown origin. In the present study, the effect of ginger (rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe) volatile oil on a rat model of colitis was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Volatile oil of ginger with doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, prednisolone (4 mg/kg), or vehicle were administered orally to groups of male Wistar rats (n = 6) for 5 d. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups, each group consisting of 6 rats. Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of 2 mL of 4% (v/v) acetic acid solution. All rats were sacrificed 24 h later and the tissue injuries were assessed macroscopically and histopathologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ginger volatile oil with all doses reduced colon weight/length ratio (P < 0.01) and the effects were similar to the reference drugs. Higher oral doses of volatile oil (200 and 400 mg/kg) reduced ulcer severity (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), ulcer area (P < 0.01) and ulcer index (P < 0.01). On the other hand, evaluation of microscopic scores showed that the dose of 400 mg/kg of volatile oil was effective to reduce inflammation severity (P < 0.01) and inflammation extent (P < 0.05) compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that ginger volatile oil could effectively reduce symptoms of experimental colitis in a dose-dependent manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashidian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehrzadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ghannadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mahzooni
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadr
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; E-mail: minaiyan@pharm.mui.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minaiyan
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D019342:Acetic Acid