A Study on the Effects of Acetyl-11-Keto-β-Boswellic Acid Against Dextran Sodium Sulfate Induced Acute and Chronic Colitis in Swiss Albino Mice

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term used to denote concurrently the two chronic inflammatory conditions of Gastrointestinal (GI) tract viz: Chron’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). This study has aimed to focus on Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) which is an active phytochemical derivate from the gum resin of the Boswellia serrata in order to investigate its anti-inflammatory potential against dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in Swiss albino mice. The 3% of Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) polymer in drinking water was fed to different mice groups with distinct timeline for both acute (7days) and chronic colitis induction (3 cycles of 5 days feeding with 15 days gap method). The anti-inflammatory activity of AKBA (50 mg/kg) was evaluated by performing various anti-oxidant assays on tissue homogenate samples (colon, liver, and kidney) and further histological studies. The oral administration of AKBA (50 mg/kg) had managing effects in IBD mice. Results showed that AKBA lowered the inflammation and soreness compared to the DSS administered mice groups. The histopathology of the intestinal wall was performed and clear morphological changes were observed under light microscopy of both acute and chronic colitis groups of mice. Furthermore, various anti-oxidant assays were performed on tissue sections of chronic colitis mice. Results from histological studies indicated that the chemo-preventive effect of AKBA was attributed to a collection of activities including anti-proliferation, apoptosis induction, and anti-inflammation. In accordance with the findings, the AKBA active derivative showed anti-inflammatory activity against the DSS induced acute and chronic colitis in mice. However, further clinical studies need to be done to bring AKBA as a potential anti-inflammatory drug candidate for treating IBD.