Effect of Lonicerae Flos extracts on reflux esophagitis with antioxidant activity

AIM： To observe the effects of traditional antiinflammatory medicine Lonicerae FIos （LF） on rat reflux esophagitis （RE） induced by pylorus and forestomach ligation compared with the well-known proton antioxidant, α-tocopherol. METHODS： Rats were pretreated with three different dosages of LF （500, 250 and 125 mg/kg） orally, once a day for 14 d before pylorus and forestomach ligation. Nine hours after pylorus and forestomach ligation, changes to the stomach and esophagus lesion areas, gastric volumes, acid and pepsin outputs, antioxidant effects, esophageal lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT）, malondialdehyde （MDA）, myeloperoxidase and glutathione （GSH） levels, and collagen contents （marker of flexibility） were observed on the esophageal and fundic histopathology. The results were compared with an α-tocopherol （once orally, 1 h before operation, 30 mg/kg） treated group in which the effects on RE were already confirmed.RESULTS： Pylorus and forestomach ligations caused marked increases of gross esophageal and gastric mucosa lesion areas, which corresponded with histopathological changes. In addition, increases of esophageal lipid peroxidation, decreases of SOD, CAT, and GSH-free radical scavengers, increases of collagen were observed. However, these pylorus and forestomach ligation induced RE were dose-dependently inhibited by treatment of 500, 250 and 125 mg/kg of LF extract, mediated by antioxidant effects. RE at 250 mg/kg showed similar effects α-tocopherol. CONCLUSION： The results suggest that antioxidant effects of LF could attenuate the severity of RE and prevent the esophageal mucosal damage, and validate its therapeutic use in esophageal reflux disease.

Protective roles of Vigna subterranea(Bambara nut) in rats with aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury

Objective： Vigna subterranea is widely consumed as a traditional staple food in Nigeria and some West African countries. The ethanolic seed extract of V. subterranea （EEVS） was investigated for its gastroprotective effects on aspirin plus pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcerated rats using an in vivo assay. Methods： Gastric mucosal ulceration was induced experimentally in Groups 2 to 5 using aspirin plus pylorus ligation. Rats in Group I were orally pretreated with 3% Tween 80 only as normal control. Groups 2 to 5 were pretreated with 3% Tween B0 （ulcer group）, 20 mg/kg of omeprazole （positive group）, and 200 and 400 mg/kg of EEVS （experimental groups）, respectively, once daily for 21 days before ulcer induction. Parameters including those for gastric secretions, ulcerated areas and gastric wall histology were assessed. Levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, glutathione peroxidase （GPx）, and malondialdehyde （MDA） in the gastric tissue homogenate were also determined. Results： Pretreatment with EEVS significantly （P 〈 0.05） reduced the ulcer index, gastric volume and total acidity in rats with aspirin plus pylorus ligation-induced ulcer. The pH and mucus of gastric content increased significantly （P 〈 0.05） while the levels of SOD and GPx were observed to be elevated with a reduced amount of MDA. Significant severe gastric mucosal injury was exhibited in the ulcer group and EEVS or omeprazole offered significant （P〈0.05） protection against mucosal ulceration. Histologically, the gastric submucosal layer showed remarkable decrease in edema and leucocytes infiltration compared with ulcer group. Conclusion： The study suggests that EEVS offered a protective action against aspirin plus pylorus ligationinduced gastric ulcers in Wistar rats. The protective effect might be mediated via antisecretory, cytopro- tective and antioxidative mechanisms.

Gastroprotective Effects of Ascaridole on Gastric Ulcer in Rats

Objective To evaluate the gastroprotective activity of ascaridole. Methods The gastroprotective effect of ascaridole was evaluated on ulcer healing in rats with acetic acid-induced chronic gastric ulcer, pylorus ligation- and Aspirin-induced gastric ulcer. Ascaridole was ig administered with the dosages of 10 and 20 mg/kg once daily for 7 d. Results Ascaridole showed the significant anti-ulcer effects. In acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer rats, the ulcer areas after 10 and 20 mg/kg of ascaridole treatment were (65.1 ± 20.0) and (50.6 ± 11.0) mm2, respectively, which were significant lower (P < 0.01) than that of the control group [(116.7 ± 35.8) mm2]. For pylorus ligation model, ascaridole showed a gastric ulcer healing effect in a dose-dependent manner. Ascaridole at the dose of 20 mg/kg showed 50% ulcer protection and had a significant (P < 0.05) gastroprotective activity since it decreased the total acidity and pepsin activity. Compared to the control group, the two dosages of ascaridole showed the significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the ulcer index on Aspirin-induced ulcer. Conclusion This study provides evidence that ascaridole shows potential efficacy on the healing of gastric ulcers induced by acetic acid, Aspirin, and pylorus ligation.