Protective Effect of DA-9601, an Artemisiae Herba Extract, on Radiation-induced Colitis in Wistar Rats

This study was performed to examine the effects of DA-9601, a novel antiulcer agent extracted from Artemisiae Herba, on radiation colitis in the rat. Female Wistar rats received a 30 Gy dose of irradiation to the 2 cm of distal colon in length using an intrarectal applicator system. 30 mg/tg or 100 mg/kg of DA- 9601 was administered orally 30 min before and 4 h after radiation on day 1. And the same dose of DA-9601 was given to the animals twice a day from day 2 to 14. As a reference control, sucralfate suspension (100 or 300 mg/head) was given as an enema based on the same treatment schedule of DA-9601. Body weight change and the frequency of diarrhea were recorded during the observation period as markers of radiationinduced injury, All animals were sacrificed on day 15 for evaluation of macro- and microscopic findings and mucosal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Radiated animals showed diarrhea, mucosal redness and histologic changes characterized by edema and eosinophilic infiltration of the periglandular lamina propria with loss of colonic epithelium. Radiation also significantly increased mucosal MfO activity of affected colon f\\\\\\\\`<0.05). However, most of these changes were completely protected by oral administration with DA-9601. DA-9601 reduced radiation-induced histologic alteration significantly in a dose-related manner (P<0.05). In addition, mucosal MPO activity in rats receiving high dose of DA-9601 decreased significantly when compared with that in radiated control. High dose of sucralfate (300 mg/head) alleviated radiation-induced histologic lesion, but failed to reach statistical significance. The results of this study suggest that DA-9601 can be useful for the prevention of acute clinical symptoms of radiation proctocolitis and that decrease of mucosal MPO by DA-9601 plays a role in its protective mechanism(s), at least in part.