Crocin is a plant-derived
carotenoid and bears potent
antioxidant property.
Ranitidine (a
histamine H2 receptor blocker) is used for
peptic ulcer treatment. The present study was planned to investigate the effects of
crocin and
ranitidine on
indomethacin-induced
ulcer in small intestine of rats. Animals were randomized into two major groups including indo-
methacin (10.00 mg kg-1,
ulcer group, 48 rats) and
normal saline (1.00 mL kg-1, intact group, 48 rats) groups. Each of these two major groups was subdivided into eight subgroups for intra-peritoneal (IP)
injections of
normal saline,
crocin (2.50, 10.00 and 40.00 mg kg-1),
ranitidine (5.00 and 20.00 mg kg-1),
crocin (2.50 and 10.00 mg kg-1) plus
ranitidine (5.00 mg kg-1).
Indomethacin induced intestinal
ulcer was characterized by
bleeding,
inflammation, epithelial
hyperplasia and crypt loss. This non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drug (
NSAID),
indomethacin decreased goblet cell number and
superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and increased small intestine weight, organo-somatic index (OSI), malodealdehyde (MDA),
tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and
caspase-3 contents of intestine.
Crocin resolved all the above-mentioned parameter changes induced by
indomethacin. These treatments produced no significant effects on the above-mentioned parameters of intact group. The results of the present study showed tissue protective and anti-
ulcer effects of
crocin on small intestine by
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.
Ranitidine alone showed no effect; however, in combination with
crocin it exerted recovery effects. It is recommended that
crocin, be considered as a therapeutic agent for
NSAIDs-induced intestinal damage management.