The herbal preparation, STW 5, protects against radiation induced intestinal mucositis

Intestinal mucositis is a common adverse effect in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and is associated with apoptotic processes. The condition has been simulated in rats by exposing them to acute radiation from a Cesium 137 source. The extent of intestinal injury was dependent on the radiation dose level and histological evidence of apoptosis was shown at an exposure of 8 Gray. Apoptotic changes were associated with a marked increase in cytosolic calcium, depletion of mitochondrial cytochrome c, B-cell lymphoma-2 and complex 1. Serum diamine oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase as well as intestinal tumor necrosis factor were also markedly increased. STW 5 (Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany) is an herbal preparation consisting of 9 components which is effectively used clinically in functional dyspepsia ⁽¹⁾ and irritable bowel syndrome ⁽²⁾ and found to be effective in DSS induced colitis ⁽³⁾. It was also previously shown to have good anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic activity. The drug was given orally at 2 different dose levels for 5 days before exposure to radiation and continued for 2 days after exposure. Treatment was shown to protect to a large extent against the histological changes induced by radiation and to counteract dose-dependently the derangement in nearly all relevant parameters. The good anti-apoptotic effects of STW 5 and general protective effects against intestinal radiation damage could pave the way to discovering new measures for avoiding the occurrence of mucositis following radiation exposure.

References:

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[2] Madisch A et al. (2004) Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 19: 271 – 279.

[3] Wadie, W. et al. (2012) Int J Colorectal Dis. 2012 Nov;27(11):1445 – 53.