Studying the therapeutic effect of Oliveria decumbens vent. plant essential oil in the treatment of bladder inflammation caused by Escherichia coli in male Wistar rats

Antibiotic resistance, especially in Escherichia coli, is one of the most worrying issues worldwide. In addition, the side effects of chemical drugs have led scientists to use natural alternatives with better therapeutic effects and fewer side effects than common treatments. Therefore, this research has studied the therapeutic effect of Oliveria decumbens plant essential oil in the treatment of inflammation in the bladder caused by Escherichia coli infection in male Wistar rats. The antibacterial properties of the plant extract were investigated using the standard microdilution method against Escherichia coli. Then, to cause cystitis, Escherichia coli bacteria with a concentration of 1.5 x 108 CFU/mL was injected into the bladder of mice, and then different concentrations of the extract and gentamicin were administered to them. Bladder histopathological parameters were evaluated at the end of the study. MIC and MBC of the extract against Escherichia coli were 0.32 μl/ml and 512 μl/ml, respectively. In the infected group without treatment, the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the thickness of the bladder tissue increased significantly, but in the extract-treated groups, especially at higher doses, these parameters decreased significantly (p<0.01). The effect of the extract in reducing the number of bacteria was comparable to gentamicin. In addition, after administration of the extract, inflammation, fibrosis and thickness of the epithelium also decreased in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.01). The results of this research showed that the treatment with the extract of this plant, which was prescribed as an oral supplement or subcutaneous injection, led to a significant decrease in the number of urinary bacteria and improved pathological changes in the studied mice.