title: The effect of theophylline on acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ulcerative colitis is a relapsing inflammatory disorder of the colon. There is a need to explore the new treatments for this disorder. Theophylline, a competitive inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, is shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of theophylline on ulcerative colitis has not yet been investigated. The present study evaluated the effect of theophylline on acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Colitis was induced by instillation of 2ml of acetic acid solution (3%). Colon samples were evaluated grossly and microscopically and assayed for myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and proinflammatory cytokine concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with theophylline at the doses of 20 and 50mg/kg attenuated acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis as shown by improvement in body weight loss, macroscopic score, ulcer area, hematocrit and histopathological score. Theophylline treatment also reduced MPO activity and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1 β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations in inflamed colon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Theophylline has a protective effect in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis which might be due to its anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, theophylline has the potential to be used for successful treatment of ulcerative colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Shahrekord University of Medical Science, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghasemi-Pirbaluti
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj 6618634683, Iran. Electronic address: Motaghi@pharm.mui.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Motaghi
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Najafi
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosseini
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013806:Theophylline; D009195:Peroxidase; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Cytokine; Myeloperoxidase; Theophylline; Ulceration; Ulcerative colitis