Issue 36, 2019, Issue in Progress

The potential of Thymus vulgaris aqueous extract to protect against delayed gastric emptying and colonic constipation in rats

Abstract

Thyme is a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals and it is frequently used in folk-medicine to treat gastroenteritis irritations. The current study was performed to examine the potential of Thymus vulgaris aqueous extract (TV-AE) to protect against delayed gastric emptying (DGE) and colonic constipation in rats. Stomach ulcer was caused by a single oral dose administration of indomethacin (INDO) (30 mg kg−1 of body weight). Constipation was induced following intravenous intoxication of rats with vinblastine (VINB) (2 mg kg−1 of body weight) for one week. The effect of TV-AE at two graduated doses (100 and 200 mg kg−1) on DGE, gastrointestinal transit (GIT) and constipated rats and biochemical parameters was estimated using phenol red, charcoal meal test and colorimetric methods, respectively. The phytochemical-profile of TV-AE was explored using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS). INDO and VINB caused a significant reduction in (P < 0.05) DGE and GIT and colonic motility dysfunction. TV-AE consumption remarkably (P < 0.05) attenuated the DGE (from 58.56% to 69.871%) and difficulty in evacuating stools (from 48.5 to 55.5 fecal pellets per rat) and balanced the GIT (65% to 71%). These GI-ameliorative effects were accompanied by reversed INDO/VINB-related oxidative changes, lipid-metabolism alteration and intracellular pathway moderation. HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS-analysis identified several chemical constituents including rosmarinic acid, quinic acid, luteolin-7-o-glucoside, protocatechuic acid and trans-cinnamic acid. Thus, TV-AE bioactive components may be used as medicinal substances to regulate/attenuate gastrointestinal–physiological activities and disturbances, which support its pharmacological use.

Graphical abstract: The potential of Thymus vulgaris aqueous extract to protect against delayed gastric emptying and colonic constipation in rats

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Mar 2019
Accepted
16 Jun 2019
First published
02 Jul 2019
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2019,9, 20593-20602

The potential of Thymus vulgaris aqueous extract to protect against delayed gastric emptying and colonic constipation in rats

K. Rtibi, S. Selmi, D. Wannes, M. Jridi, L. Marzouki and H. Sebai, RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 20593 DOI: 10.1039/C9RA02042J

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