Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Clinical and Inflammatory Manifestations in an Experimental Model of Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a kind of inflammatory bowel disease that involves factors such as genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and disproportionate function of the mucosal immune system in response to intestinal microbial flora. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a blood derivative that has anti-inflammatory and cell-regenerating properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PRP on the clinical and inflammatory manifestations in an experimental model of ulcerative colitis.

In this experiment, male BALB/c mice were segregated into four groups, each consisting of 10 mice: the healthy group (negative control), the colitis group without treatment (positive control), the colitis group receiving PRP, and colitis group receiving sulfasalazine. All animals, except for those in the negative control group, were subjected to colitis induction via intrarectal injection of 100 µl of 4% acetic acid. The treatment regimen commenced after the onset of UC symptoms. The mice were euthanasia after 15 days of the last injection, and the disease activity index, as well as the inflammatory factors, were assessed.

According to the results, the treatment groups showed a significant decrease in disease activity index, the severity of inflammation, the level of MPO, NO, and IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokines expression and production, as well as inflammatory genes COX2 and iNOS expression, compared to the positive control group.

The results showed that PRP has favorable anti-inflammatory effects in ulcerative colitis and after additional evaluations, it can be used as an adjunctive treatment along with the drugs used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis patients.