Drug Designing: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2169-0138
+44 1223 790975
ISSN: 2169-0138
+44 1223 790975
Ali Sultan Al-Refai
Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Drug Des
Background & Objectives: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a commonly used drug for the treatment of malignant cancers. Approximately
80% of patients undergoing 5-FU treatment suffer from gastrointestinal mucositis. The aim of this study was to investigate the
effect of chamomile extract on the pathogenesis of 5-FU induced intestinal mucositis in Albino rat.
Materials & Methods: In current study forty females Albino rats, weighing 220-280 g were used in the study. For the induction
of mucositis, 60 mg/kg of 5-FU was administered intraperitoneally to each animal in the study group on day 0, and 40 mg/
kg was administered on day 2. The control animals were intraperitoneally injected by normal saline in the same manner and
dose like 5-FU on day 0 and 2. Then the rats in each group were randomly divided into two groups: Distilled water treated
group and chamomile extract treated group (10 animals each). A volume of distilled water equal to chamomile extract was
given by intragastric gavage tube, while the other group was gavaged with chamomile extract at a dose of (100 mg/kg) two
times daily. The treatment with distilled water or the chamomile extract was initiated on day 5 and the experiment continues
for twelve days. The body weight for each rat was measured and then the animals were sacrificed on day 8 and 12 (five animals
each). In each experiment, one centimeter of proximal jejunum was removed for histopathological, intestinal morphometry, and
immunohistochemical analysis using Ki-67 and Bcl-2 immunolabeling.
Results: Chamomile can protect the jejunum from fluorouracil-induced cytotoxicity and attenuate or decrease the associated
injury. The chamomile in 5-FU/chamomile group causes significant increase in villi length, crypt depth, number of goblet cells,
and Ki-67 and Bcl-2 immunexpression in comparison with 5-FU/water group at day 8. But longer duration of taking chamomile
can cause cytotoxic and damaging effect to the jejunum.
Conclusion: Chamomile can protect the jejunum from fluorouracil-induced mucositis, it attenuates the associated injury if it’s
taken for short duration, but the reverse can occur if it’s taken for longer period.