Protective effects of topiramate on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats: biochemical and histopathological investigation

Abstract

Abstract Ulcerative colitis is an intestinal inflammatory condition characterized by rise of inflammatory mediators’ production and oxidative stress. Topiramate is an anticonvulsant agent with effectiveness on a wide range of seizures, which its anti-oxidative. This study aims to examine the protective effects of topiramate on acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: control, acetic acid, acetic acid + topiramate, and acetic acid + dexamethasone groups. Topiramate (100 mg/kg/day) or dexamethasone (2 mg/kg/day) was administered for six consecutive days, and ulcerative colitis induced at the first day of study by transrectal administration of 4% acetic acid. Four hours after the last dose of treatments, animals of each group were sacrificed and colon tissues removed for further macroscopic, histopathologic, and biochemical analysis. Treatment with topiramate markedly decreased colonic lesions and macroscopic scores as well as improvement of histopathologic changes. Topiramate also effectively decreased the levels of malondialdehyde and up-regulated the activity of anti-oxidative enzymes, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. Our results reveal that administration of topiramate ameliorates acetic acid-induced colitis in rats via anti-oxidative properties and further studies may introduce it as an effective therapeutic candidate to decrease ulcerative colitis severity.