Investigation of the protective efficiency of Curcumin in experimental ulcerative colitis model in rats

Objective: In this study, the protective effect of Curcumin in an experimental ulcerative colitis model in rats was investigated pathologically and immunohistochemically. Material and Methods: In this study, a total of 40 adult female Wistar Albino rats weighing 220±10 grams were used. The grouping in the study was as follows: Group I (Control group; 1 ml of physiological saline was administered intrarectally via catheter on day 1 for the purpose of comparing pathological and immunohistochemical evaluations with the other groups), Group II (TNBS group; in this group, rats were administered a single dose of TNBS intrarectally via catheter to induce ulcerative colitis), Group III (Curcumin group; in this group, rats were treated with Curcumin at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day via oral gavage for 21 days), and Group IV (Curcumin + TNBS group; in this group, rats induced with ulcerative colitis via TNBS received Curcumin at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day via oral gavage for 21 days starting from the day ulcerative colitis was induced). There were 4 different groups, each consisting of 10 animals. Results: At the end of the study, colon samples were collected for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. The severity of histopathological findings was most pronounced in Group II, which only received TNBS. In Group IV (TNBS + Curcumin), the severity of these findings was significantly milder compared to the TNBS-only group. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the expressions of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha correlated with the histopathological findings. Conclusion: Based on the pathological and immunohistochemical results obtained in the study, it was concluded that Curcumin could be used as a protective alternative agent in the experimental model of ulcerative colitis in rats. Keywords: Curcumin, Histopathology, Immunohistopathology, Rat, Ulcerative Colitis.