A Comparative Study of the Role of each of a Certain Flavonoid (Naringenin) and the Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Ameliorating Experimentally-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Male Albino Rats

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a debilitating, recurrent chronic inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) that afflicts large population throughout the world. UC results in formation of inflammatory lesions in mucosal and submucosal layers of the colon with clinical manifestations like abdominal pain, purulent stool and colonic oedema. The consistent pain and bowel urgencies impair quality of personal and social life.

The present study aimed to compare between the efficacies of naringenin (NG) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), morphologically, histopathologically and ultrastructurally, on experimentally-induced colitis model in rats by acetic acid (AA).

Fifty adult male albino rats were divided into five groups, 10 rats each, and treated as follows: Group I: served as control, rats received 1 ml of 0.9% saline intrarectally; Group II: received NG only (50 mg/kg b.w., p.o.) dissolved in carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC, 0.5%) daily for ten days; Group III: received AA once intrarectally (1ml of 4% AA); Group IV: received 1ml of 4% AA once intrarectally, then administered daily dose of NG (50 mg/kg b.w., p.o.) dissolved in CMC for ten days; Group V: received 1ml of 4% AA once intrarectally, then injected with a single dose of MSCs (1x106 cells/ml PBS/animal) through the tail vein and left for ten days.