Origanum Onites L. Ethanolic Extract Alleviates Acetic Acid-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Rats by Regulating Oxidant, Inflammatory, and Apoptotic Markers

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Origanum onites ethanolic extract (O. onites EE) in vitro and its effects on inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and tissue damage-related parameters in the acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) model in rats. Material and Method: Dried parts of O. onites were extracted with ethanol using the maceration method. Then, the extract’s anti-DPPH and anti-ABTS free radical scavenging, anti-5-lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, and total secondary metabolic quantities were evaluated in vitro. The rat groups were determined as control + saline (C), AA + saline (A), AA + O. onites EE (O), AA + Sulfasalazine (S). The treatments were applied once a day for 3 consecutive days. Result and Discussion: O. onites EE showed high amount of total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total triterpene contents, high antioxidant activity against ABTS, DPPH radicals, and anti-inflammatory effects against 5-LOX enzyme. Due to AA-induction, increased luminol-lucigenin, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17, TLR-9, caspase-3, caspase-9, MMP-3, macroscopic and microscopic scores attenuated by O. onites EE and sulfasalazine treatments. In conclusion, O. onites EE has a significant therapeutic effect on rats' colitis due to its total flavonoid, phenolic, and triterpene content, and its Anti-5-LOX and free radical scavenging activity.