In the study, 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats randomly distributed into 4 groups of 6 rats each as control, dasatinib, colitis and dasatinib + colitis groups. For colitis induction, 4% acetic acid was used. Sacrificing of the rats was performed on the seventh day. Disease activity, morphologic and histological injury, superoxide dismutase, myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde activity, TNFα and CD3 expression were assessed in colonic tissue.
Apart from malondialdehyde, significant difference in all parameters between the control and colitis groups was determined. Difference between the colitis and colitis + dasatinib groups was not significant in only weight loss and biochemical parameters. Though dasatinib does not fully resolve the changes in colitis, there was significant regression.
Dasatinib decreased the inflammation in a rodent model of colitis. It may be provide this effect by the suppression of TNFα. Dasatinib may be one of the treatment options for ulcerative colitis.