The herbal extract, Iberogast, improves jejunal integrity in rats with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced mucositis.

Abstract

There is an acute need for the development of effective therapies for mucositis, a debilitating side effect of cancer chemotherapy. Iberogast is a herbal extract reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated Iberogast for its potential to reduce the severity of 5-Fluorouracil (FU)-induced mucositis in rats. Rats were allocated to three treatment groups (n = 8) and gavaged daily with a 10% solution of Iberogast or water from day 0 to day 8. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with 5-FU (150 mg/kg) or saline on day 6, and killed after 72 h. In vivo and in vitro sucrase activity was assessed by (13)C-sucrose breath test (SBT) and sucrase assay respectively. Intestinal disease severity was determined by histological assessment of villus height and crypt depth. Significant increases in villus height (277 +/- 9 microm) and crypt depth (67 +/- 3 microm) were observed in 5-FU + Iberogast-treated rats compared with 5-FU + Water (224 +/- 13 microm and 48 +/- 2 microm respectively; p < 0.05). Sucrase activity was significantly reduced in all 5-FU groups compared to control. Significant reductions in SBT and sucrase activity were observed in all 5-FU groups compared with Saline + Water controls (p < 0.05). We conclude that although Iberogast partially improved the histopathological features of 5-FU induced mucositis, it conferred no significant protection as indicated by the assessed endpoints.

• Authors: Tessa H Wright, Roger Yazbeck, Kerry A Lymn, Eleanor J Whitford, Ker Y Cheah, Ross N Butler, Christine Feinle-Bisset, Amelia N Pilichiewicz, Suzanne Mashtoub, Gordon S Howarth
• Journal: Cancer biology & therapy (Cancer Biol Ther) Vol. 8 Issue 10 Pg. 923-9 (May 2009) ISSN: 1555-8576 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19276679 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Plant Extracts
• iberogast
• Peroxidase
• Sucrase
• Fluorouracil

Topics

• Animals
• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (adverse effects)
• Breath Tests (methods)
• Female
• Fluorouracil (adverse effects)
• Jejunum (drug effects, pathology)
• Mucositis (chemically induced, drug therapy, prevention & control)
• Organ Size (drug effects)
• Peroxidase (metabolism)
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology)
• Random Allocation
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Strains
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sucrase (metabolism)