Hichem Sebai1, Mohamed-Amine Jabri2, Abdelaziz Souli3, Kais Rtibi3, Slimen Selmi3, Olfa Tebourbi4, Jamel El-Benna5, Mohsen Sakly4. 1. Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Nutrition et Physiologie Animale, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P., 382-9000 Béja, Tunisia. Electronic address: sebaihichem@yahoo.fr. 2. Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Nutrition et Physiologie Animale, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P., 382-9000 Béja, Tunisia. 3. Laboratoire de Nutrition et Physiologie Animale, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P., 382-9000 Béja, Tunisia. 4. Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia. 5. INSERM U773 Centre de Recherche Biomédicale, Faculté de Médecine X. Bichat, 75018 Paris, France.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Matricaria recutita L. (Chamomile) has been widely used in the Tunisian traditional medicine for the treatment of digestive system disorders. The present work aims to investigate the protective effects of chamomile decoction extract (CDE) against castor oil-induced diarrhea and oxidative stress in rats. METHODS: The antidiarrheal activity was evaluated using castor oil-induced diarrhea method. In this respect, rats were divided into six groups: Control, Castor oil, Castor oil+Loperamide (LOP) and Castor oil+various doses of CDE. Animals were per orally (p.o.) pre-treated with CDE during 1h and intoxicated for 2 or 4h by acute oral administration of castor oil. RESULTS: Our results showed that CDE produced a significant dose-dependent protection against castor oil-induced diarrhea and intestinal fluid accumulation. On the other hand, we showed that diarrhea was accompagned by an oxidative stress status assessed by an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) level and depletion of antioxidant enzyme activities as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Castor oil also increased gastric and intestinal mucosa hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and free iron levels. Importantly, we showed that chamomile pre-treatment abrogated all these biochemical alterations. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that chamomile extract had a potent antidiarrheal and antioxidant properties in rats confirming their use in traditional medicine.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Matricaria recutita L. (Chamomile) has been widely used in the Tunisian traditional medicine for the treatment of digestive system disorders. The present work aims to investigate the protective effects of chamomile decoction extract (CDE) against castor oil-induced diarrhea and oxidative stress in rats. METHODS: The antidiarrheal activity was evaluated using castor oil-induced diarrhea method. In this respect, rats were divided into six groups: Control, Castor oil, Castor oil+Loperamide (LOP) and Castor oil+various doses of CDE. Animals were per orally (p.o.) pre-treated with CDE during 1h and intoxicated for 2 or 4h by acute oral administration of castor oil. RESULTS: Our results showed that CDE produced a significant dose-dependent protection against castor oil-induced diarrhea and intestinal fluid accumulation. On the other hand, we showed that diarrhea was accompagned by an oxidative stress status assessed by an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) level and depletion of antioxidant enzyme activities as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Castor oil also increased gastric and intestinal mucosa hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and free iron levels. Importantly, we showed that chamomile pre-treatment abrogated all these biochemical alterations. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that chamomile extract had a potent antidiarrheal and antioxidant properties in rats confirming their use in traditional medicine.
Authors: Felipe Galeti Miguel; Amanda Henriques Cavalheiro; Nathália Favaretto Spinola; Diego Luis Ribeiro; Gustavo Rafael Mazzaron Barcelos; Lusânia Maria Greggi Antunes; Juliana Issa Hori; Franciane Marquele-Oliveira; Bruno Alves Rocha; Andresa Aparecida Berretta Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2015-09-03 Impact factor: 2.629