1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (
DMH), an environmental toxicant specifically targets the colon. The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of
gallic acid (GA) against colon toxicity induced by
DMH in Wistar rats. GA, a
phenolic acid has numerous beneficial properties, which include
antiviral, antifungal and
antioxidant properties which help cells to overcome oxidative stress and balance the redox homeostasis. GA was administered orally at two doses (25 and 50 mg/kg
body weight) once daily for 14 days and a single dose (40 mg/kg
body weight) of
DMH was administered subcutaneously on 14th day. Animals were sacrificed on the 15th day and we could find that GA at both the doses significantly ameliorates
DMH-induced increased toxicity markers and also substantially increases the
glutathione content level and activities of detoxifying
enzymes. It also ameliorates the expression of proliferation,
inflammation, apoptosis, goblet cell disintegration, and
mucin depletion in the colon that was elevated upon administration of
DMH. Histological alterations provide further confirmation of the protective role of GA against
DMH-induced colon toxicity. The results of this study clearly indicate supplementation of GA is beneficial in ameliorating
DMH-induced oxidative stress,
inflammation, proliferation, apoptosis,
mucin depletion, and goblet cell disintegration in colon of Wistar rats.