Cytoprotective influence of Ethanolic Stem extract of Tinospora cardifolia on the inflammatory bowel disease.

The increased rate of detection of NSAIDS induced small intestinal injury in the past few years could be attributed to notable progress in detection techniques. Development of strategies to assess intestinal injury and measures to be adopted in preventing them therefore assumes greater significance in clinical situations where in, prolonged usage of these drugs is inevitable. The aim of the present study was to carry out pre clinical assessment of Tinospora cardifolia for possible protective effect against intestinal damage observed with long term use of anti-inflammatory drug. Protection against Indomethacin induced damaged of the bowels in rats, was used to carry out the preclinical study. Response of groups of rats that were administered with an ethanolic extract of the stem for a period of ten days were compared with those that did not receive such pretreatment, when challenged with an acute dose of indomethacin during the last two days of the treatment. Rats were treated with Ethanolic stem extracts Tinospora cadifolia (TESs) of both low (250mg/kg) and high doses (500mg/kg) for 10 days by oral route. 5-Amino salicylic acid (5-ASA) standard treatment (10mg/kg) was rendered by oral route for 5days. Indomethacin (IND) at the dose of 10mg/kg was given subcutaneously for all groups except for control group for last two days of treatment period. Severity of ulcers evaluated. Serum myeloperoxidase (MPO), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and tissue associated lipid peroxidase activity were measured. Intestines were subjected for histopathological evaluation. MPO, LDH, LPO activities and ulcers were elevated in IND group when compared to that of control group. These activities were significantly reduced in TESs group in dose dependent manner with oxidative damage & inflammation. Tinospora cardifolia was identified as protective agent against Indomethacin induced inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This improved integrity of intestine could be attributed to Tinospora cardifolia?s anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerative activities.