Effect of methanolic extract of Cissampelos pareira on Acetic acid and Dextran Sodium Sulphate (DSS) induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in albino rats and mice

Effect of methanolic extract of Cissampelos pareira (CPME) (200, 400 mg/kg, PO) was studied on acetic acid and DSS induced colitis in rats and mice respectively. Montelukast (20 mg/kg, PO) was used as a Standard drug. At the end of experiment various parameters like scoring for colon, Disease activity index (DAI) which took into account body weight, stool consistency, gross bleeding, Alkaline phosphate (ALP), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), white blood cell (WBC) count and myeloperoxydase (MPO) activity were measured. Treatment with CP (200,400 mg/kg, PO) decreased significantly macroscopic damage in both models. Histological analysis showed that both doses of the extract improved the microscopic structure and preserved some areas of the colonic mucosa structure. MPO, as a marker of neutrophils infiltration was decreased in a dose-dependent way. In addition DAI, WBC count, ESR and ALP activity also significantly decreases in both doses of CP (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 respectively) in both models. So, from our study we found that CP exerts marked protective effects in acute experimental colitis and may be used clinically in treatment of IBD. This protective effect may be due to the regulations of the productions and an expression of inflammatory mediators.