Objective:

The objective of the study was to estimate the effects of synbiotics on laboratory, macroscopic, and histopathologic features in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) experimental colitis.

Materials and methods:

A total of 40 Wistar rats received 5% of DSS in their drinking water for 8 days to induce ulcerative colitis (UC). Eight rats were sacrificed to confirm the presence of UC. The remaining rats were randomly assigned to two groups: the synbiotics group, which received synbiotics once per day and the control group, which received tap water for another 8 days.

Results:

On the 8th day of DSS administration animals developed UC with bloody diarrhea. In the majority of the hematologic variables studied (hemoglobin [HB], red blood cells, platelets, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular HB), in bodyweight and histopathologic colitis score there was no significant difference between groups. However, the synbiotics group, compared to control, presented a significantly greater colon length on the 4th day, significantly increased hematocrit (HT) on the 8th day, and a significantly decreased number of myeloperoxidase positive cells on the 8th day. Furthermore, there was a trend toward histopathological and clinical improvement.

Conclusions:

Administration of synbiotics in the experimental UC results in an attenuation of mucosal inflammatory neutrophil infiltration and an increase in HT.