Do vitamin E and selenium have beneficial effects on trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced experimental colitis

The balance between oxidant and antioxidant systems may be important in the pathogenesis and/or maintenance of tissue injury in ulcerative colitis. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of vitamin E and selenium supplementations on tissue injury and oxidative stress in trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid administration severely changed the normal architecture of the colon and significantly increased the levels of malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, and xantine oxidase (P < 0.001) in the colon homogenates of these rats. Supplementation of selenium to the trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-treated rats neither improved the histopathological findings nor decreased the levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl. Vitamin E supplementation reduced the levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl but did not improve the colonic lesions. Supplementation of vitamin E + selenium significantly reduced both the severity of colonic lesions and the levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl. In conclusion, we suggest that antioxidants and specific micronutrients may have beneficial effects in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.