Effect of Artemisia vulgaris Hydro-Alcoholic Extract on Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Damages in a Rat Model of Experimental Colitis

Background: Herbal medicines can be used as a possible therapeutic agent in inflammatory diseases. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of Artemisia vulgaris (AV) hydro-alcoholic extract on oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in an experimental rat model of colitis. Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: Control, colitis, sulfasalazine, AV50, AV100, and AV200. The animals of the AV groups were treated with the hydro-alcoholic extract of A. vulgaris via gavage for 72 h. Body weight was measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. In the end, serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a lipid peroxidation marker, antioxidants such as glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO) levels as inflammatory biomarkers were measured. Macroscopic and microscopic damage in the rat's colon was also examined in histological studies. Results: The A. vulgaris extract treatment dose-dependently improved colonic injury (P < 0.001 to P < 0.05) and body weight (P < 0.001) in colitis rats. Moreover, it enhanced SOD activity and GSH levels (P < 0.001) and reduced serum MDA, TNF-α, and NO levels (P < 0.001 to P < 0.01) in the rats with colitis. Conclusions: Treatment with A. vulgaris could mitigate ulcerative colitis (UC) symptoms, which is probably attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.