Gemifloxacin ameliorates acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis via modulation of inflammatory, oxidative, and adhesive biomarkers and histopathological changes in rats.

Ulcerative colitis is a Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by mucosal damage, oxidative stress, and elevated inflammatory mediators, necessitating innovative strategies. While sulfasalazine remains a standard treatment, alternative agents with dual antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects are of growing interest. The goal of this study is to determine the ameliorative impact of gemifloxacin in comparison to sulfasalazine on inflammatory, oxidative, and histopathological alterations in a rat model of experimentally evoked ulcerative colitis. 40 Albino-Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of ten animals. All groups except Group I obtained a single intra-rectal dose of 4% acetic acid (vol/vol). Alternatively, Group I (Sham group) comprised healthy untreated rats who weren't getting any sort of therapy. Group II (control group) had undergone acetic acid-evoked colitis for one week and provided no medications. The rats in groups III (sulfasalazine) and IV (gemifloxacin) were administered 100 mg/kg of sulfasalazine and 50 mg/kg of gemifloxacin orally on a weekly basis, respectively. The histopathological scores of the colonic tissue, together with the following variables. Treatment with both gemifloxacin and sulfasalazine drastically lowered oxidative biomarkers, specifically malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), compared to the colitis control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, both drugs significantly mitigated levels inflammatory biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) while attenuating levels of adhesive molecules like intercellular adhesive molecule (ICAM-1) and E-selectin compared to the colitis control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, they markedly improved the histopathological scores in acetic acid-aggravated-colonic histopathological scores. Gemifloxacin demonstrated remarkable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-protective impacts in a rat prototype of ulcerative colitis with therapeutic outcomes comparable to those of sulfasalazine. These findings support its promise as an adjuvant medication in controlling and managing inflammatory bowel diseases.