Effect of the essential oil of thyme on intestinal morphology in Rat

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in clinical medicine. The adverse effects they produce in the gastrointestinal tract however, often limit their utility. Oxidative stress has been shown to occur in the small intestine in response to the oral administration of indomethacin. In view of this, the effect of thyme essential oil, an agent with anti-oxidant properties, was evaluated on indomethacin-induced small intestinal damage in a rat model. The chemical composition of thyme essential oil was identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Tissues morphology affected by indomethacin, with and without treatment with thyme, was measured. The small intestine morphology (villus height, villus width, and crypt depth and crypt width of duodenum, jejunum and ilea) from indomethacin-treated animals with thyme oil was significantly improved than those from indomethacin animals. Treatment with thyme oil was found to ameliorate these drug-induced changes. The essential oil of thyme appears to hold promise as an agent that can potentially reduce non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induced small intestinal damage.