Mentha longifolia protects against acetic-acid induced colitis in rats.
BACKGROUND
Mentha longifolia L (Wild Mint or Habak) (ML) is used in traditional medicine in treatment of many gastrointestinal disorders.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate potential protecting effect of ML and its major constituent, eucalyptol, against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats, a model of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).


METHODS
Rats were divided into ten groups (n=8) given orally for three days (mg/kg/day) the following: normal control, acetic acid-induced colitis (un-treated, positive control), vehicle (DMSO), sulfasalazine (500), ML extract (100, 500, 1000), and eucalyptol (100, 200, 400). After 24h-fasting, two ML of acetic acid (3%) was administered intrarectally. On the fifth day, serum and colonic biochemical markers, and histopathological changes were evaluated.


RESULTS
Colitis significantly increased colonic myeloperoxidase activity and malonaldehyde level, and serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and malonaldehyde levels while significantly decreased colonic and serum glutathione levels. All treatments (except ML 100, ML 1000, and eucalyptol 100) significantly reversed these changes where eucalyptol (400) showed the highest activity in a dose-dependent manner. The colitis-induced histopathological changes were mild in sulfasalazine and eucalyptol 400 groups, moderate in ML 500 and eucalyptol 200 groups, and severe in ML 100, ML 1000, and eucalyptol 100 groups nearly similar to colitis-untreated rats.


CONCLUSIONS
ML (in moderate doses) and eucalyptol (dose-dependently) exerted protective effects against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats possibly through antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties suggesting a potential benefit in treatments of IBD. To our knowledge this is the first report addressing this point.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11562, Egypt. Electronic address: muradha2000@yahoo.com.
Hussam A S
HA
Murad
Department of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, KAU, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt. Electronic address: hmafifi2013@gmail.com.
Hossam M
HM
Abdallah
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, KAU, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: soadshaker@gmail.com.
Soad S
SS
Ali
D019342:Acetic Acid; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003092:Colitis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000077591:Eucalyptol; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D027541:Mentha / Q000737:chemistry*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D005978:Glutathione; D019342:Acetic Acid; D000077591:Eucalyptol
Acetic acid (PubChem CID: 176); Eucalyptol (1,8 cineole); Eucalyptol (1,8-Cineole) (PubChem CID: 2758); Experimental colitis; Inflammatory bowel disease; Sulfasalazine (PubChem CID: 5359476); Sulphasalazine; mentha longifolia