Hydro-alcoholic extract of Dracocephalum moldavica for treatment of ulcerative colitis in Wistar rats

Background and objective: The prevalence of ulcerative colitis, a condition characterized by inflammation in the intestinal wall, has been increasing. Dracocephalum moldavica has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. The current study aimed to evaluate therapeutic effects of DM on ulcerative colitis in Wistar rats.Materials and methods: For this study, thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Group ۱(control) received only phosphate buffer saline, group ۲ was exposed to acetic acid to develop ulcerative colitis, group ۳ was the rats with ulceratice colitis treated by Dracocephalum moldavica extract at concentration of ۳۰ mg/kg/day, and group ۴ was the rats with ulceratice colitis treated by prednisolone at concentration of ۴ mg/kg/day. After ۱۰ consecutive days, the rats were euthanized humanely, and their intestinal tissue was thoroughly examined to measure the levels of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress indices.Results and conclusion: Treatment with Dracocephalum moldavica showed more advantage than treatment with prednisolone in restoring the overall antioxidant capacity of the colonic specimens in rats with induced colitis. Although, the levels of malondialdehyde decreased, the total protein content of colonic homogenates increased in both treatment groups, albeit not significantly. Moreover, Dracocephalum moldavica extract showed a significant reduction in TNF-α, IL-۶, and IFNɣ cytokines compared to prednisolone. The stories of myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide were sugnificantly decreased in the colons of rats treated by Dracocephalum moldavica, surpassing the effects observed in prednisolone group. The findings of this study suggest that use of Dracocephalum moldavica extract as herbal remedy has excellent potential in alleviation of inflammation in rat model of ulcerative colitis. The positive roles of Dracocephalum moldavica extract are attributed to its direct antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.

Keywords:

Dracocephalum Moldavica , Hydro-alcoholic extract , Immunomodulator , Inflammation , Ulcerative colitis