Planta Med 2009; 75 - PJ19
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234824

Prophylactic and curative effect of STW 5 in experimental inflammatory bowel disease

MT Khayyal 1, H Abdel-Aziz 2, W Wadie 1, DM Abdallah 1, O Kelber 3, D Weiser 3, W Neuhuber 4
  • 1Dept. of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 2Dept. of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahram Canadian University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 3Scientific Dept, Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
  • 4Institut für Anatomie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

STW 5 (Iberogast®), a multiherbal preparation, has been shown to be clinically effective in functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Its potent anti-inflammatory effects prompted us to study its efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

IBD was induced in male Wistar rats by injecting them intra-colonically with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in ethanol under light ether anesthesia. STW 5 was tested both as a prophylactic and as a curative measure.

Prophylactically, STW 5 was given orally for 1 week before TNBS and for 4 more consecutive days. Drug effects were assessed macroscopically and substantiated immunohistochemically as well as by measuring relevant biochemical parameters and mediators. In the curative setting, inflammation was first induced, followed after 48h by STW 5 orally daily for 7 days. Lesions were then assessed and biochemical parameters measured.

Prophylactically, STW 5 dose dependently reduced the area of lesions and colonic and spleen mass indices. It prevented changes in colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and protected against changes in the level of ICAM-1, TNFα, IL-1β, IL-10, LTB4 and PGE2 in blood and colon. The effect was comparable to that of sulfasalazine and confirmed histopathologically.

In the curative experiments, the drug reduced the area of lesions and colon mass index and tended to normalize the changes in GSH and MPO activity.

The findings lend evidence to both protective and curative effect of STW 5 in colonic inflammation, indicating a potential therapeutic usefulness in inflammatory conditions of the lower gastrointestinal tract.