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A Histological Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of the Antidepressant Fluoxetine Versus the Anti-inflammatory Sulfasalazine in Experimentally Induced Colitis in Adult Male Albino Rats

Background: The growing prevalence of the inflammatory bowel diseases in Arab community increases both economic and health care burden. Thus, better and more affordable treatment cure is greatly needed. Aim of the Work: T he goal of work was to study the histological effect of the antidepressant drug (fluoxetine) versus the traditional anti-inflammatory drug (sulfasalazine) on induced colitis in adult male albino rats. Material and Methods: Twenty-four adult male albino rats were randomly divided into four groups, each containing six rats.: group (A) which served as the control group; group (B), in which colitis was induced by intra-rectal administration of 1 ml of 2% acetic acid daily for 3 consecutive days then left without any treatment for 14 days; group (C), in which the rats received sulfasalazine for 14 days after induction of colitis as in group B; and group (D) in which the rats received fluoxetine 14 days after induction of colitis. Both drugs in group (C) and (D) were dissolved in distilled water and administered by oral gavage once daily. At the end of the experiment, distal colon (10 cm proximal to the anus) was removed and processed for light microscopic examination using H & E, combined alcian blue – PAS and Mallory’s trichrome stains. Toluidine blue stain was used for semi-thin sections. Computer image analysis and statistical study were also performed for the number of goblet cells and area percent of collagen fibers content. Results: Colitis induction showed mucosal injury. There was loss of surface epithelium and disruption of crypt architecture. The muscularis mucosae showed vacuolations. Moreover, there were dilated blood vessels in submucosa. Administration of fluoxetine improved the colonic structure especially the surface epithelium while sulfasalazine was by far less efficient in improving induced colitis. Conclusion: Fluoxetine improved the colonic structure and proved to be more effective management of experimentally induced colitis with less adverse effects than the conventional management by sulfasalazine.