Abstract:

Objective: Previous studies have demonstrated a higher incidence of ulcerative colitis in non-smokers. We investigated the beneficial effects of nicotine treatment on colitis-induced anxiety and oxidative colonic damage on rats.Materials and Methods: Wistar Albino (250-300 g) rats (n=40) were randomly divided into 5 groups as saline-treated colitis group, nicotine pre-treated colitis group, nicotine post-treated colitis group, continuously nicotine-treated colitis group and control group. Groups received intraperitoneal injections of saline or nicotine (0.1 mg/kg/day) for 15 days prior to and for 3 days following the colitis induction. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, histological evaluation and DNA fragmentation were studied in colonic samples. Anxiety levels were evaluated with the hole-board test. Results were evaluated using ANOVA and Mann-Whitney-U tests. Results: The saline-treated colitis group had increased MPO and MDA levels, DNA fragmentation and histological damage scores when compared with the control group. In the nicotinetreated groups MPO and MDA levels and DNA fragmentation were reduced, with lower histologic damage scores. Reduced SOD, CAT and GSH levels were also increased in nicotine-treated groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrates antioxidant effects of nicotine treatment in the acetic acid-induced colitis model including an increased antioxidant capacity, reduced migration of neutrophils to the inflamed colon and a reduction of membrane damage

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