Original Article
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2014; 20(31): 10876-10885
Published online Aug 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i31.10876
Beneficial effect of butyrate, Lactobacillus casei and L-carnitine combination in preference to each in experimental colitis
Mahsa Moeinian, Seyedeh Farnaz Ghasemi-Niri, Shilan Mozaffari, Amir Hossein Abdolghaffari, Maryam Baeeri, Mona Navaea-Nigjeh, Mohammad Abdollahi
Mahsa Moeinian, Seyedeh Farnaz Ghasemi-Niri, Shilan Mozaffari, Maryam Baeeri, Mona Navaea-Nigjeh, Mohammad Abdollahi, Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Toxicology and Poisoning Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
Amir Hossein Abdolghaffari, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
Amir Hossein Abdolghaffari, Pharmacology and Applied Medicine Department of Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj 31375369, Iran
Author contributions: Moeinian M searched the literature, read the papers, gathered the data, drafted the manuscript and monitored the in vivo and in vitro testings; Ghasemi-Niri SF assisted in lab works, gavaged the animals, and fulfilled statistical analyses of macroscopic and microscopic data; Mozaffari S helped in design of the study and edited the manuscript; Abdolghaffari AH gavaged the animals, obtained colonic samples, prepared and described pathological images; Baeeri M analysed the biomarkers; Navaea-Nigjeh M assisted in analysing the biomarkers; Abdollahi M gave the idea, designed the study, supervised the whole work, and edited the manuscript.
Supported by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (partially)
Correspondence to: Mohammad Abdollahi, Professor, Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Toxicology and Poisoning Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417614411, Iran. mohammad@tums.ac.ir
Telephone: +98-21-64122319 Fax: +98-21-66959104
Received: November 2, 2013
Revised: February 11, 2014
Accepted: April 5, 2014
Published online: August 21, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the beneficial effect of the combination of butyrate, Lactobacillus casei, and L-carnitine in a rat colitis model.

METHODS: Rats were divided into seven groups. Four groups received oral butyrate, L-carnitine, Lactobacillus casei and the combination of three agents for 10 consecutive days. The remaining groups included negative and positive controls and a sham group. Macroscopic, histopathological examinations, and biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interlukin-1β (IL-1β), myeloperoxidase (MPO), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and ferric reduced ability of plasma (FRAP) were determined in the colon.

RESULTS: The combination therapy exhibited a significant beneficial effect in alleviation of colitis compared to controls. Overall changes in reduction of TNF-α (114.66 ± 18.26 vs 171.78 ± 9.48 pg/mg protein, P < 0.05), IL-1β (24.9 ± 1.07 vs 33.06 ± 2.16 pg/mg protein, P < 0.05), TBARS (0.2 ± 0.03 vs 0.49 ± 0.04 μg/mg protein, P < 0.01), MPO (15.32 ± 0.4 vs 27.24 ± 3.84 U/mg protein, P < 0.05), and elevation of FRAP (23.46 ± 1.2 vs 15.02 ± 2.37 μmol/L, P < 0.05) support the preference of the combination therapy in comparison to controls. Although the monotherapies were also effective in improvement of colitis markers, the combination therapy was much better in improvement of colon oxidative stress markers including FRAP, TBARS, and MPO.

CONCLUSION: The present combination is a suitable mixture in control of experimental colitis and should be trialed in the clinical setting.

Keywords: Butyrate, L-carnitine, Colitis, Inflammatory bowel disease, Oxidative stress, Lactobacillus casei, Probiotic

Core tip: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is among the common diseases in the world that have no absolute cure yet. Although corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and aminosalicylates are conventionally used in management of IBD, their side effects reduce patients’ compliance. In this paper, we have shown that the combination of butyrate, Lactobacillus casei, and, L-carnitine reduces the amount of oxidative stress within the colon and provides significant anti-inflammatory effects. Optimistically, the proposed combination is from components with no serious side effects and is more economical to manufacture.