title: On the benefit of galls of Quercus brantii Lindl. in murine colitis: the role of free gallic acid.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study we investigated the effect of gall of Quercus brantii Lindl., a traditional Iranian medicine, in a murine model of experimental colitis induced in male rats by rectal administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantification of the main active components was done for estimation of total phenolic content and free gallic acid. Gall of Quercus brantii Lindl. in two forms (gall powder and gall hydro alcoholic extract) was gavaged for 10 days (500 mg/kg). Ten days after induction of colitis, colonic status was examined by macroscopic, microscopic and biochemical analyses. Colonic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were analyzed as biomarkers of inflammatory condition. To determine the role of oxidative stress (OS) in colitis, the levels of cellular lipid peroxidation (LPO), total antioxidant power (TAP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured in colon tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TNBS-induced colitis exhibited a significant increase in colon MPO activity and concentrations of cellular LPO, TNF-α and IL-1β, while TAP was significantly reduced. Microscopic evaluations of the colonic damage in the colitis group revealed multifocal degenerative changes in the epithelial lining and areas of necrosis, extensive mucosal and sub-mucosal damage with congested blood vessels, edema and hemorrhages along with extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells. Parameters including macroscopic and microscopic scores, TNF-α, IL-1β, LPO, TAP and MPO improved by both gall extract and gall powder of Quercus brantii Lindl. and reached close to normal levels. The level of total phenols (GAE/100 g of sample) and free gallic acid were estimated to be 88.43 ±7.23 (mean ± SD) and 3.74% of dry weight, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that the gall of Quercus brantii Lindl. is able to exert antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on the biochemical and pathological parameters of colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khanavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabbagh-Bani-Azad
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Applied Medicine, Department of Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, Iran ; International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Hossein
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Abdolghaffari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vazirian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Isa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Isazadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rezvanfar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baeeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadirad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran ; Faculty of Traditional Iranian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Roja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran ; Faculty of Traditional Iranian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shams-Ardekani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdollahi
keywords: Quercus brantii Lindl.; animal; colitis; oxidative stress