Effect of Artemisia vulgaris Hydro-Alcoholic Extract on Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Damages in a Rat Model of Experimental Colitis

Background: Herbal medicines can be used as a possible therapeutic agent in inflammatory diseases. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of Artemisia vulgaris(AV) hydro-alcoholic extract on oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in an experimental rat model of colitis. Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: Control, colitis, sulfasalazine, AV50, AV100, and AV200. The animals of the AV groups were treated with the hydro-alcoholic extract of A. vulgarisvia gavage for 72 h. Body weight was measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. In the end, serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a lipid peroxidation marker, antioxidants such as glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO) levels as inflammatory biomarkers were measured. Macroscopic and microscopic damage in the rat s colon was also examined in histological studies. Results: The A. vulgarisextract treatment dose-dependently improved colonic injury (P 0.001 to P 0.05) and body weight (P 0.001) in colitis rats. Moreover, it enhanced SOD activity and GSH levels (P 0.001) and reduced serum MDA, TNF-α, and NO levels (P 0.001 to P 0.01) in the rats with colitis. Conclusions: Treatment with A. vulgariscould mitigate ulcerative colitis (UC) symptoms, which is probably attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.