Ameliorative effects of lactoferrin and dexamethasone sodium on acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in Wistar rats

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent mucosal inflammation of colon and rectum. Lactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional protein known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Dexamethasone sodium is a known glucocorticoid used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The present study was aimed to investigate the protective action of Lf when administered along with dexamethasone sodium, in acetic acid-induced colitis in rats. The present study was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic properties of lactoferrin when administered (@ 200 mg/kg b.wt.) orally in acetic acid-induced colitis (4% @ 2ml single dose intra-colonic) in rats. The antioxidant assay showed the antioxidant property of lactoferrin in acetic acid induced colitis rats. the toxic group showed increased levels of TBARS and decreased activities of enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and super peroxidase (SOD), whereas lactoferrin treated group showed the opposite effect. Intra-colonic administration of 2 ml of acetic acid (4% v/v) on day 1 was done to groups 2, 3, 4 and 5. Tissue samples of colon, spleen, liver and kidney were collected and processed for histopathological examination, that showed congestion, necrosis of epithelium and crypts, infiltration of inflammatory cells, depletion of goblet cells and ulceration of mucosa in colon, mild oedema and increased cellularity in spleen, mild congestion and mild sinusoidal dilation in liver and minimum tubular damage, mild degenerative changes, mild vacuolations in glomeruli of kidney in acetic acid induced groups. This changes were improved in group 5 followed by group 4 and group 3. The results suggest that Lf along with dexamethasone sodium has ameliorative and protective action against pathological changes on acetic acid induced colitis in rats. Therefore, Lf may be a potential therapeutic agent against acetic acid induced colitis in rats and promising nutraceutical compound for the treatment of colitis in rats.