Anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of essential oil of Hyptis crenata on the intestinal injuries induced by methotrexate

Methotrexate (MTX) is an important drug for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. However, it induces many gastrointestinal inflammation-related side effects. The essential oil of Hyptis crenata (EOHc) has gastrointestinal protective and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of EOHc on MTX-induced intestinal inflammation in rats. Male Wistar rats were administered MTX or Saline for 3 days and EOHc (300 mg/kg) or vehicle for an additional 3 or 7 days. Half of the animal was euthanized 3 days after the end of MTX treatment (inflammation phase) and the remaining half euthanized 4 days later (post-inflammation phase). The MPO levels in the mucositis inflammation-related phase of the MTX-treated group were 284 % of the control in the duodenum (cont: 50,9 ± 9,97 U/mg of protein) and 231 % of the control in the ileum (cont: 30,4 ± 6,60 U/mg of protein). In the EOHc group, the levels were 50 % of control in the duodenum and 113 % in the ileum. During this phase, EOHc prevented the increase in TBARs levels and the decrease in thiol levels in the duodenum and jejunum. In the post-inflammation phase of mucositis, EOHc prevented the gastrointestinal transit alteration and, in general, increased food and water consumption. In conclusion, the observed effects, particularly the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of EOHc, as well as its previously reported low toxicity, position EOHc as a promising candidate for reducing gastrointestinal side effects associated with the use of MTX.