Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Qum (Aug 2023)
Comparing the Effects of Theobromine and Prednisolone on Disease Severity and Inflammatory Markers in Female Rats With Ulcerative Colitis
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine and rectum that is associated with symptoms such as rectal bleeding, diarrhea, and sometimes abdominal pain. Theobromine is an alkaloid which is found in coffee beans, cocoa beans, and tea leaves. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of theobromine, compared to prednisolone, in treating inflammation in female rats with UC. Methods: In this experimental study on 24 female Wistar rats, after induction of UC with injection of acetic acid 4%, rats were divided into four groups: Control, UC, UC+prednisolone (10 mg/kg) and UC+theobromine (100 mg/kg). All rats were evaluated daily for changes in body weight, the existence of blood in the stool, and stool consistency. After 10 days, the rats were killed and were examined in terms of macroscopic lesions and the production of biochemical markers in the intestinal tissue including myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and protein content. Analysis of biochemical data was performed by one-way ANOVA, and the data related to disease severity were analyzed by the Friedman test. Results: The results for the weight factor indicated that the UC group had severe weight loss, and in the groups treated with theobromine and prednisolone, the weight of rats gradually increased. The disease severity increased in the UC group but decreased in the treated groups. Macroscopic examination showed that the tissue wound and bleeding in the treated groups were much lower than in the UC group and were almost similar to those in the control group. In the UC group, the levels of MPO, NO, and MDA increased significantly compared to the control group (P<0.05), and treatment with theobromine and prednisolone significantly reduced the level of these markers. In contrast, the TAC and protein content decreased in the UC group, compared to the control group, while there was a significant increase in the treated groups compared to the UC group. Conclusion: Treatment with theobromine and prednisolone can reduce tissue wounds and bleeding, as well as the MPO, NO, and MDA levels in female rats with UC.
