Therapeutic and Preventive Effects of Olea europaea Extract on Indomethacin-Induced Small Intestinal Injury Model in Rats

Fatemeh Sadat Mahdavi; Parham Mardi; Seyed Saeed Mahdavi; Mohammad Kamalinejad; Seyed Ali Hashemi; Zohreh Khodaii; Mahboobeh Mehrabani-Natanzi

doi:10.1155/2020/6669813

Therapeutic and Preventive Effects of Olea europaea Extract on Indomethacin-Induced Small Intestinal Injury Model in Rats

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Dec 23:2020:6669813. doi: 10.1155/2020/6669813. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Fatemeh Sadat Mahdavi¹, Parham Mardi¹, Seyed Saeed Mahdavi², Mohammad Kamalinejad³, Seyed Ali Hashemi⁴, Zohreh Khodaii⁵, Mahboobeh Mehrabani-Natanzi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Student Research Committee, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
² Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
³ Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
⁵ Dietary Supplements and Probiotic Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
⁶ Evidence-Based Phytotherapy and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Olea europaea (known as olive fruit) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities and many potential health benefits including gastric inflammation reduction has been shown previously. This study aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of O. europaea extract on the early histological changes in indomethacin-induced small intestinal injury model with the plasma D-lactate concentration being measured as a tool for determination of intestinal permeability.

Methods: In this experimental study, two separate protective and therapeutic protocols were designed. In both experiments, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and either pretreated with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day of O. europaea extract or received the treatment after administration of indomethacin. Their small intestines were examined to compare the histological changes. The intestinal injury severity was evaluated according to the presence of eosinophils, plasma cell infiltration, edema, congestion, and hyperplasia of the crypt using a histological scoring system. Also, measured were the presence of neutrophils, decreased villus length-to-crypt depth ratio, and destructed villus architecture. The plasma concentration of D-lactate was measured as well.

Results: The therapeutic use of O. europaea decreased the eosinophil, edema, congestion, and crypt hyperplasia scores compared to the control group. Although no significant difference was seen between groups of the preventive experiment in plasma cell infiltration score, villus length-to-crypt depth ratio, neutrophil infiltration, and percentage of destructed villus architecture, treatment with O. europaea caused a reduction in edema, eosinophil, congestion, and crypt hyperplasia score. In both experiments, no significant difference was seen between groups for villus length-to-crypt depth ratio, neutrophil infiltration, and percentage of destructed villus architecture. Plasma D-lactate concentration was decreased in all O. europaea-treated groups compared to the control group in the therapeutic and preventive experiments (p < 0.01, one-way ANOVA followed by the Dunnett test).

Conclusion: O. europaea extract can be used to decrease some side effects of indomethacin on intestinal tissue and enhances the gastrointestinal function. O. europaea extract could be considered as a potential herbal supplement in the treatment of intestinal morphological injuries.