Ameliorative Potential of Minocycline and/or Lactulose on Experimentally Induced Colitis

The aim of this study was to compare between the effect of minocycline or lactulose alone and in combination on experimentally-induced colitis in rats. Materials and methods: Seventy albino rats were divided into 7 equal groups: Control untreated group, trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS) group, TNBS + lactulose group, lactulose group, TNBS + minocycline group, minocycline group and TNBS + lactulose+ minocycline group. A part of the colon was homogenized for determination of tissue tumor necrosis factor alpha, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione and myeloperoxidase. The other part of the colon was examined histopathologically. Also, disease activity index was measured. Results: Administration of each of lactulose or minocycline alone and in combination to TNBS-treated rats induced significant increase in tissue reduced glutathione with significant decrease in disease activity index, tissue tumor necrosis factor alpha, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and myeloperoxidase and alleviated the histopathological changes compared to the group that received TNBS alone. Minocycline/lactulose combination produced significant improvement in the biochemical and histopathological parameters compared to the groups that received either minocycline or lactulose alone. Conclusion: Lactulose and minocycline had protective effects on TNBS-induced colitis in rats but minocycline/lactulose combination had the upper hand.