title: Protective effect of Agave americana Linn. leaf extract in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural plants always provide core compounds for new drug development. In the present life and food style, inflammatory bowel disease has become common and needs a lead compound for its drug development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of Agave americana Linn. leaf extract in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats based on its traditional anti-inflammatory use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were pretreated with A. americana leaf extract in the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg p.o. daily for 7 days. On 8(th) day, 2 ml of 4% v/v acetic acid in saline was instilled into rats' rectum. Prednisolone was used as standard drug and it was administered on the day of acetic acid instillation and continued for 3 days. Extract treatment was continued till 11(th) day. Body weight, ulcer score, colonic muscle contraction, antioxidant activity and histopathology were studied. Statistical analysis was performed using Parametric one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's posttest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A. americana have retained total body weight significantly (P < 0.01) and decreased colon weight/length ratio. Extract have shown a significant decrease (P < 0.001) in ulcer scores, myeloperoxidase, lipid peroxidase activity. Further, extract have shown significant improvement in colonic muscle contraction, histopathology of colon etc., which is comparable with standard drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A. americana possess protective effect against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Al-Maarefa Colleges for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Basheerahmed A A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mannasaheb
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, SET's College of Pharmacy, Dharwad, India.
authors.forename: Preeti V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, SET's College of Pharmacy, Dharwad, India.
authors.forename: Mashood Ahmed
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sangreskopp
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sarada Vilas College of Pharmacy, Mysuru, India.
authors.forename: Chetan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savant
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, East West College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Anjana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohan
keywords: Acetic acid; Agave americana; antioxidant; ulcerative colitis