Original Articles
Y. Masoumi-Ardakani, M. Abbasn
Abstract
Chamomilla recutita L (Cr) has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. In Iran dried flower heads of Cr, is used traditionally for several medicinal purposes such as nervous diarrhea, spasms, colitis, gastritis, and hemorrhoids as well as restlessness, insomnia, dysmenorrhea and mastitis. Because of Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and also spasmolytic properties of Cr we suggested that this plant may have beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel diseases so the present study was carried out. Colonic inflammation was induced with injection of 4% acetic acid (pH 2.3) into the rectal lumen of male Wistar rats. After colitis induction, different doses of extract (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg i.g) were administrated during 6 consecutive days. The macroscopic and histopathologic indices of colon injury, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were assessed. The data showed that 20 and 30 mg/kg of extract could significantly reduce body weight loss and wet weight of distal colon as well as severe injury indices. In addition, the extract significantly decreased MPO activity and MDA content of inflamed colon. It is concluded that orally administration of Cr extract was effective to treat acute colitis in acetic acid model and its effects are due to decreasing of inflammatory indices in injured colon.