Indometacin®, also known as indomethacin, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly
used as a prescription medication to reduce fever, pain, stiffness, and swelling from inflammations.
Common side effects are headache, nausea, upset stomach and dizziness; others were diarrhea,
constipation, sleepiness, stomach pain & ear ringing (tinnitus). Also, with indomethacin the gastrointestinal
tract's mucosa is adversely affected. Taurine is the most abundant semi-essential β-amino acid
in mammals with a broad anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, approved by FDA with its relatively
high daily safe dose as an on-shell supplement and in various clinical cases.
The present study evaluated the effect of taurine on colonic inflammation and disrupted colonic architecture
resulted as side effect in rats treated with indomethacin®.
A total of seventy female Sprague-Dawley (SD( rats were divided into four groups: Control (W),
Water and taurine (W+T), indomethacin-treated (INDO) and taurine-treated (T). In indomethacintreated
group, rats received 1.5mg /1ml of water/rat for five consecutive days via intra-gastric gavage.
In taurine-treated group, rats received taurine (0.05g/kg/day) in drinking water for one month after indomethacin
treatment. Colonic inflammation, edema, macroscopic and microscopic damage were
evaluated.
The results showed that indomethacin drug given for five consecutive days caused severe colitis with
high levels of occult blood and loose stool consistency. Severe colonic shrinkage and colonic edema
were also observed. Histological examination revealed disrupted histological architecture with presence
of cryptic distortion and abscesses. Ulceration was also observed with disruption of epithelial
surface. After taurine treatment, the average rate of water consumption was increased. Stool consistency,
occult blood and body weight change significantly improved. The rate of colon shrinkage and colonic
edema were also reduced. Also, taurine treatment restored almost normal histological structure.