DIETARY DIOSGENIN ATTENUATES SUBACUTE INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION ASSOCIATED WITH INDOMETHACIN IN RATS

We investigated the effects of dietary diosgenin (Die), a plant-derive d sapogenin, on indomethacin (Indo)-induced intestinal inflammation an d alterations in bile secretion in rats. In anesthetized rats, bile se cretion, intestinal inflammation, and blood chemistry were assessed 3 days after two subcutaneous injections of Indo given 24 h apart. Dio ( >80 mg.kg(-1).day(-1)) pretreatment significantly inhibited weight and food intake decreases and intestinal inflammation. This protective ef fect was confirmed by examination of gross and histological findings a nd intestinal myeloperoxidase activity. Dio significantly increased bi liary cholesterol (Chol) output and prevented the decreases in bile fl ow, bile acid output, and biliary alpha-muricholic acid and the increa ses in biliary hyodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and hydrophobici ty index of bile. Significantly more biliary Chol and phospholipids we re present in macromolecules separate from bile acids and Indo in Die- treated rats. Dio significantly increased the elimination constant of Indo and reduced plasma Indo levels at 3 and 12 h but did not influenc e biliary secretion of Indo for 3.5 h after injection. Although Dio do se-dependently attenuated subacute intestinal inflammation and normali zed bile secretion in this model, it may also compromise the anti-infl ammatory action of Indo.