PHYTOPHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF HERBAL PLANTS USED IN TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE.

Ethanolic extract of T. Portulacastrum and pet. Ether extract of M. Laxiflora was evaluated in mice against trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis. Mice were pre-treated orally for 14 days and continued for four days after the induction of colitis with (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg). Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of 20 mg of TNBS per mice dissolved in 50% alcohol and 4 days later, the colonic mucosal lesion was analyzed along with Diarrhoea, GI transit, defecation, gastric emptying, intestinal fluid accumulation. myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, reduced glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide levels in colonic tissue homogenate. Significant reduction in gross damage area, weight loss and decrease in colonic lesion were evident in test substance-pretreated animals dose dependently as compared to samle treated control. These effects were confirmed biochemically by a reduction in colonic myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde levels, nitric oxide levels, and increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Furthermore, microscopic examination revealed diminution of inflammatory cell infiltration and submucosal edema in colon segments of mice treated with MP and TP . The results demonstrate the protective effect of both sample in the animal model of acute colitis possibly through an antioxidant, anti-lipoperoxidative or due to reduction in nitric oxide generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]