Anti-Ulcerative Effect of Hydroethanolic Root Extract ofFicus capensisin Sprague Dawley Rats

Abstract ID 90351 Poster Board 077 Background: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic debilitating inflammatory disease that affects the colon and the rectum and typically involves the innermost lining or mucosal membrane. Due to unwanted effects of synthetic anti-colitis drugs, natural products are being explored as alternative or complementary therapy. Aim: This study investigates the anti-ulcerative effects of hydroethanolic root extract of Ficus capensis (FCE) in Sprague Dawley rats. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly selected into 6 groups (n = 5) and were given daily oral administration of either normal saline (10 ml/kg), sulfasalazine (500mg/kg) or Ficus capensis extract (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) from day 0 to day 7. On day 4, colitis was induced by intrarectal administration of 500 μL of acetic acid (4% v/v). Body weight of each rat was taken daily. The rats were euthanized on day 8 by cervical dislocation under anesthesia with 50 mg/kg pentobarbitone sodium (i.p.). Blood was collected for assessment of anaemia. After dissection, colons were removed and assessed for various indices of inflammation. Results: The extract increased RBC level (×106/μL) to 7.170 ± 0.6294 (P = 0.0031) compared to the control (4.434 ± 0.1803). Similarly, the extract increased hemoglobin level to 8.620 ± 0.7586 g/dL (P = 0.0021) compared to the control (5.042 ± 0.305 g/dL). Macroscopic examination of the colons showed that disease activity index (DAI) which describes levels of colonic inflammatory markers such as oedema, hyperemia, colon thickening and shortening was reduced by the extract to 2.035 ± 0.1216 (P = 0.0001) compared to the control (3.800 ± 0.1265). Also, the extract reduced weight-length ratio of colons to 0.1066 ± 0.0076 (P = 0.0068) compared to the control (0.134 ± 0.006). Histopathological assessment showed that FCE-treated colons exhibited reduced inflammation with mild infiltration and abscesses in the mucosa as compared to the disease control. Also, epithelial cell loss and gross colonic injury were significantly prevented. The extract increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activity (nmol/mg protein) in the colons to 12.00 ± 1.327 (P = 0.0040) and 9.60 ± 0.6713 (P = 0.0019) respectively. Also, malondialdehyde concentration which was indicative of lipid peroxidation in the colons was reduced to 29.72 ± 1.974 (0.0033) compared to disease control (40.20 ± 1.594). Conclusion: we conclude that Ficus capensis roots have potential anti-ulcerative effect as traditionally claimed and this could be exploited as alternative or supplementary to the conventional treatment of colitis. Keywords:Ficus capensis, anti-ulcerative, hydroethanolic, extract, Sprague Dawley rats. Authors received no funding for this research.