EFFECTS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING ON BODY WEIGHT, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL PICTURE OF COLON IN RATS WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS

ABSTRACT:
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a promising strategy among different approaches of fasting. It has ability to cope up with different diseases as ulcerative colitis (UC). This study was aimed to explore effects of IF of rats with UC on body weight, blood chemistry and histological picture of colon. Thirty-five mature rats weighing 225±5 g BW were used. Rats were distributed into 5 equal groups, Group1: negative control, group 2: positive control with UC and groups 3, 4 and 5: with UC and were fasted for 12, 16 and 20 hr, respectively. Feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency ratio were calculated. Blood samples were collected for determination of activities of serum liver and kidney functions as well as lipid profile. Proinflammatory cytokines i.e. interleukin 1 beta (IL1β), IL6 and IL8 were measured. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were estimated. In liver homogenate, reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured. Histopathological examination of large intestine was also done. The results revealed that IF of rats with UC significantly decreased serum levels of liver and kidney functions, lipid profile, IL1β, IL6 and IL8. Activities of GPx, SOD and CAT were increased. Liver tissue GSH was increased, but MDA and LDH were decreased. Histopathology showed that IF mitigated inflammatory lesions of large intestine. It could be concluded that intermittent fasting plays an important role for weight loss and reduction of gut inflammation.