Protective Effect Of Spinacia Oleracea Leaves Against Indomethacin-Induced Enteropathy In Experimental Animals: A Comparative Investigation Of Petroleum Ether And Ethanolic Extracts

Abstract

Spinacia oleracea Linn., commonly known as spinach, has been traditionally used in ethnomedical therapy for various purposes, including the treatment of obesity, lung inflammation, lumbago, flatulence, and urinary calculi. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of petroleum ether (SOPE) and ethanolic (SOEE) extracts of Spinacia oleracea against indomethacin-induced enterocolitis in a rat model. Additionally, acute oral toxicity was evaluated using the Up-and-Down Procedure (Test No. 425: Acute Oral Toxicity). Results revealed the safety of both SOPE and SOEE at a dose of 2000 mg/kg, with normal observations in behavioral, body weight, organ weight, biochemical, and hematological parameters, except for slight alterations in respiration and salivation with SOPE and SOEE respectively. In the disease model, SOPE at 400 mg/kg and SOEE at 200 and 400 mg/kg exhibited significant protective effects against indomethacin-induced enterocolitis. These effects were evident through improvements in macroscopic, biochemical, hematological, and histological data. Overall, the findings suggest that SOEE exhibits more pronounced protective effects against indomethacin-induced enterocolitis compared to SOPE, possibly due to the presence of polyphenolic phytoconstituents in SOEE.