Protective effects of Echinacea purpurea in an acetic acid induced rat model of colitis

In order to investigate putative protective effects of Echinacea purpurea on colonic inflammation, we determined Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and protein carbonyl contents were determined in colonic tissues of rats in the colitis and colitis plus Echinacea purpurea (at different doses 50,100 mg/kg) given rats. Besides, histopathology of colon tissues were evaluated. In the Echinacea treatment groups (50 and 100 mg/kg doses) ADA activities were significantly decreased as compared to acetic acid group, but there was no statistically significant between two treatment groups (p>0.05). Echinacea treatment also was decreased MDA levels at two doses according to colitis group (p 0.05). Slightly decreased protein carbonyl contents and elevated SOD activities were shown in the two Echinacea therapy groups as compared to acetic acid induced colitis group. But these were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Similar observations were recorded for these parameters in the extracts of colonic tissue specimens. The results revealed that pretreatment to colitic rats with Echinacea purpurea at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, partially attenuated the colonic damage induced by acetic acid. In conclusion, the preventive effects of Echinacea purpurea in the acetic acid model of rat colitis is probably related to its antioxidant properties, due to its flavonoid content. Abbreviations: ADA=Adenosine deaminase, SOD= superoxide dismutase, MDA= malondialdehyde, IBD= Inflammatory bowel diseases, UC= ulcerative colitis, ROS= reactive oxygen species, NO= nitric oxide, US= United States, NBT= nitrobluetetrazolium, TBA= thiobarbituric acid, SPSS=Statistical Package for Social Sciences.