Research Article

Epicatechin Used in the Treatment of Intestinal Inflammatory Disease: An Analysis by Experimental Models

Table 6

Immunohistochemical quantifications of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and poliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and immunoblotting of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and inducible nitric oxide sintase (iNOS) in the colon of the animals submitted to the chronic colitis model.

COX-2 ( m2/mm2) PCNA (cells/mm2)EGF (RU)iNOS (RU)

1st week
 Non-colitic13,151.38 ± 7,642.79*277.94 ± 21.54*73.5062.68
 TNBS control42,561.22 ± 7,504.32452.82 ± 74.51156.94199.82
 EC 108,515.84 ± 7,309.41*568.37 ± 20.43*298.14*166.03
 Sulfasalazine16,594.99 ± 6,111.12*387.24 ± 23.76139.87132.46
2nd week
 Non-colitic5,899.88 ± 6,947.30*274.82 ± 28.95*66.4753.30
 TNBS control52,894.12 ± 10,978.02371.63 ± 25.4998.12258.84
 EC 108,599.16 ± 7,965.00*306.04 ± 19.91225.38*195.38
 Sulfasalazine29,415.99 ± 11,128.13396.61 ± 22.4382.07271.02
3rd week, relapse
 Non-colitic6,618.02 ± 7,509.17*237.34 ± 30.82*105.7092.57
 TNBS control46,529.49 ± 11,713.00359.13 ± 16.83131.66180.48
 EC 108,139.53 ± 8,095.28*484.05 ± 21.86*#201.54*198.47
 Sulfasalazine16,125.29 ± 10,938.09412.22 ± 28.92#94.62147.59
 Not relapsed TNBS16,986.12 ± 8,481.50306.04 ±23.26

Results expressed as mean ± E.P.M. ANOVA-Dunnet, *P < 0.05 comparing to the TNBS group, #P < 0.05 comparing to not relapsed TNBS control. n = 4–7. EC 10: Epicatechin, dose 10 mg/kg. RU: random units.