Effects of aqueous extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC) guill. Et Perr. (Combretaceae) leaves on acetic acid‐induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Colitis are one of the worldwide increasing inflammatory bowel diseases. Colitis was induced by intrarectal administration of 1 mL of acetic acid (4%) in rats. The normal and the colitis controls treated with distilled water, the positive control treated with dexamethasone (5 mg/kg), and two test groups treated with extract at 100 and 200 mg/kg bw for seven days. During treatment, the number and quality of stools as well as changes in body weight and body temperature were assessed. At the end, animals were sacrificed; blood and colon were taken for the assay of oxidative stress, hematological and histological parameters. The diarrheal stools and the body temperature significantly (P < 0.01) decreased from the first to the sixth day of treatment compared to colitis control. The extract decreased significantly (P < 0.01) the number of gross colon lesions, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels in colon and in blood. The extract increased (P < 0.01) the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione, catalase, red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total white blood cells as well as platelets. These could justify the use of Anogeissus leiocarpus in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.