Volume No : (2026) Volume: 14 Issue : 65 Year : 2026 Page No: 17-25
Authors : Urvashi Ramkrushna Gawande, Pramod Vitthalrao Burakle, Sagar Narendra Ande
Abstract :
Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by intestinal mucosal injury, oxidative stress, and excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Despite the availability of conventional therapies, long-term treatment is often associated with adverse effects, highlighting the need for safer plant-based alternatives. Allium cepa peel is a rich source of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and other bioactive phytoconstituents with established antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Materials and Methods: The ethanolic extract of A. cepa peel was prepared by Soxhlet extraction and subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening. UC was induced by administering 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 10 consecutive days. Animals were treated orally with A. cepa extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) or 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) (100 mg/kg). Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by evaluating clinical disease activity (body weight loss, stool consistency, rectal bleeding, and food and water intake), colon length, oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde [MDA] and catalase [CAT]), pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)], and histopathological changes in colonic tissue.
Results: Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, and alkaloids in the extract. DSS administration produced severe colitis, evidenced by progressive weight loss, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, reduced food and water intake, colon shortening, increased MDA levels, decreased CAT activity, elevated TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels, and marked histopathological damage. Treatment with A. cepa extract significantly attenuated these alterations in a dose-dependent manner. The 200 mg/kg dose demonstrated greater efficacy than the 100 mg/kg dose by improving clinical symptoms, restoring antioxidant status, suppressing inflammatory cytokines, preserving colon length, and reducing mucosal injury, although the protective effects remained lower than those of 5-ASA.
Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of A. cepa peel effectively ameliorated DSSinduced UC through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mucosal protective mechanisms. The extract inhibits that A. cepa peel may serve as a promising phytotherapeutic candidate for the management of UC and warrants further investigation to elucidate its molecular mechanisms and clinical potential.
Keywords: Allium cepa, dextran sodium sulfate, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, phytotherapy, ulcerative colitis
Full Text PDF