Thymus longicaulis subsp. chaubardii Ethanolic Extract Ameliorates Acetic Acid–Induced Rat Ulcerative Colitis Model by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis

The search for new drugs to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) is ongoing, with the use of herbal extracts emerging as a current research focus in this field. This study primarily intended to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the ethanolic extract of Thymus longicaulis subsp. chaubardii (TLC) in vitro. Secondly, we aimed to perform an acetic acid (AA)–induced rat UC model and assess the effects of TLC extract (200 mg/kg/orally/day, during three days) using ELISA test in terms of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-10, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, TLR-9, MMP-3 level, caspase-3 and caspase-9, luminol, lucigenin, and SOD. In addition, we accomplished macroscopic and histological evaluations. Our phytochemical investigation revealed TLC contained secondary metabolites including total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total triterpenes in quite concentrated amounts. The extract demonstrated anti-2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity that was 2.3 times more potent than ascorbic acid, anti-2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging activity that was 3.28 times less potent than Trolox, and antilipoxygenase Type V (LOX-5) activity that was 1.31 times more potent than indomethacin in vitro. Due to colitis, increased luminol and lucigenin CL, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17, TLR-9, caspase-3, caspase-9, MMP-3, and macroscopic and microscopic scores and decreased IL-10, Na+/K + -ATPase levels in colon ameliorated with TLC and sulfasalazine (as reference drug) treatments. As a result, it can be said that TLC improves UC in rats, mainly on account of its free radical scavenging activity, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects.