PREVENTIVE EFFECT OF HELIX ASPERSA CRUDE EXTRACT AGAINST CHEMO-INDUCED COLONIC DAMAGES IN RATS

The present work aimed to explore in vivo the effect of Helix Aspersa Crude Extract (HACE) on the chemo-induced damages occurred in rat colon specially on the histology of the crypts foci in liberkhun glands. The toxicity of HACE was evaluated with different HACE concentrations. With the concentration of 160 mg, animals showed the best gain weight, stayed normal and all animals survived. Therefore, this concentration (5g/kg of body weight) was chosen for the rest of the experiences. 30 males rats used in our experiment were divided in 5 groups and colitis was induced by transrectal administration of 4% acetic acid. At the end of experiments, blood was collected for Biochemical assessments including aspartat aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotarnsferase (ALT), gamma glutamyltarnsferase (GGT). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) and CRP measurements were also registered. Colon was examined macroscopically and microscopically after standard hematoxylin-eosin staining. We sought the changes in the crypt foci (CF) structure of the Lieberkuhn glands because foci damages were regarded as precursor lesions of colo-rectal cancer in human. HACE showed not only a significant improvement of certain parameters affected by experimentally induced colitis: enzymes TBARs, CRP, but also a protection against structure injuries in distal colon. The Liberkhun glands injuries observed in animal induced colitis appear to be protected by snail crude extract. The HACE could probably play a healing role on the colonic mucosa and also a preventive role against possible changes of CF to Aberrant Crypt Foci ACF and could avoid possible malignant transformation.