What is the possible therapeutic effect of Ginkgo biloba on gastric ulcer induced by ammonia in albino rats?

In vivo anti-gastric ulcer activity of 7-O-methyl aromadendrin and sakuranetin via mitigating inflammatory and oxidative stress trails

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Eucalyptus genus has been used for a very long time in conventional treatment as an anti-ulcer remedy.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to explore the gastroprotective potential of 7-O-methyl aromadendrin (7-OMA), and sakuranetin (SKN) in comparison with omeprazole. The study tackled the contribution of their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic capabilities to their anti-gastric ulcer effects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats was adopted and the consequences were confirmed by a molecular docking study.

RESULTS

The oral pretreatment of rats 1 h before ethanol using omeprazole (20 mg/kg) or 7-OMA (20 or 40 mg/kg) or SKN (20 or 40 mg/kg) exhibited gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties to different extents. These amendments witnessed as restorations in the stomach histological architecture in H and E-stained sections, mucus content in periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stained sections with increased cellular proliferation, as demonstrated by increased immunohistochemical staining of PCNA, and increments in stomach COX-1 activity and eNOS. The highest dose of SKN showed the best corrections to reach 4.8, 1.8, and 2.1 folds increase in PAS, COX-1 and eNOS, respectively as compared to the untreated ethanol-induced gastric ulcer group; effects that were comparable to that of omeprazole. Moreover, reductions in COX-2 activity, and the protein expression of NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α and NOx, in addition to the gene expression of inducible iNOS were also noted. Moreover, the antioxidant and antiapoptotic capabilities of omeprazole, 7-OMA, and SKN were perceived. SKN (40 mg/kg) succeeded to show the unsurpassed results to reach 293.6%, 237.1%, 274.7%, 248.2%, and 175.4% in total and reduced GSH, catalase, SOD, and Bcl2, respectively, as well as 50.0%, 46.8%, and 52.1 % in oxidized GSSG, TBARS and caspase-3, respectively. The gastroprotective potential of the tested compounds can be assigned to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties.7-OMA and SKN were studied using molecular docking into the binding sites of the most significant inflammatory targets, including COX-2, TNF-α, iNOS, and NF-κB. Pharmacokinetic and physicochemical parameters in silico were appropriate.

CONCLUSION

The prophylactic use of 7-OMA and SKN could be considered as an add-on to recurrent gastric ulcers and might influence its therapeutic approaches.

Therapeutic Versus Preventative Use of Ginkgo biloba Extract (EGb 761) against Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Mice

The main bioactive constituents in the standardized Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (EGb 761) are the terpene lactones and flavonoid glycosides. EGb 761’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have previously been demonstrated. Indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers have a multifactorial etiology and represent a major restriction to its therapeutic utility. The underlying ulcerogenic process involves oxidative and inflammatory biomolecular insults. This study was performed to explore the curative and preventative benefits of EGb 761 in experimentally-induced ulcers. To develop gastric ulcers in mice, indomethacin (40 mg/kg) was administered orally. EGb 761 (200 mg/kg) was given by gavage for 7 days before (preventative) and after (therapeutic) indomethacin administration. The histological alterations and macroscopic mucosal lesions were assessed. In gastric tissue homogenates, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), and inflammatory cytokines were measured. The expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), cytokines, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the stomach mucosa were also investigated. The ulcer index, histological alterations, gastric oxidants, and inflammatory biomarkers were all significantly increased by indomethacin. In stomach specimens, it increased COX-2 and PCNA expression. EGb 761 treatments, both prophylactic and therapeutic, resulted in significant reductions in ulcer lesions, nitrosative and oxidative damage, and inflammatory markers, along with the lowering of COX-2 and PCNA expressions. Furthermore, in the fight against stomach ulcers, EGb 761 treatment was found to be more efficient than prevention.

Ginkgo biloba protects striatal neurodegeneration and gut phagoinflammatory damage in rotenone-induced mice model of Parkinson's disease: Role of executioner caspase-3/Nrf2/ARE signaling

Asymptomatic and early clinical stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been linked with comorbid non-motor symptoms including dysfunction of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Notwithstanding, neuroprotective and gastroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba supplements (GBS) have been investigated independently. Hence, whether GBS-mediated GIT-protective capacity could be helpful in PD via gut-brain anti-inflammatory signaling still remains unknown. Treatment with GBS significantly repressed the motor behavioral and neuromuscular deficits and prevented loss of striatal dopaminergic loss by improving the level of tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme and suppressing synucleinopathy development. Striatal neurons and ileal epithelial injury following intraperitoneal rotenone administration were accompanied with oxidoinflammatory/nitroinflammatory stress and marked inhibition of cholinergic transmission. Moreover, there was increased striatal executioner caspase-3 and decreased nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) immunoexpression, loss of striatal pyramidal neuron with a marked decrease in length and width of the dendritic spines as well as significant hyperplasia of cryptal cells in the ileal epithelial tissues, all which were reversed by the pretreatment + concurrent (Pre-CONC) and concurrent (CONC) GBS treatment pattern. In sum, we proved the potential dual effects of GBS in preventing both dopaminergic neural-related impairments and gut wall abnormalities linked with PD.

Therapeutic potential of Ferula foetida(Bunge) Regel on gastric ulcer model in rats

The plant Ferula foetida(Bunge) Regel (FFBR) has a long history in Asian traditional medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the ulcer healing potential of FFBR umbel ethanolic extract on acetic acid-induced chronic gastric ulcer in rats. First, the gastric ulcer model was imitated by serosal application of acetic acid in male Wistar rats. Then, the animals were orally fed by ethanolic extract of FFBR umbel (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg), omeprazole (40 mg/kg), or saline for 12 days. Eventually, on the 13th day, animals were sacrificed, and their stomachs were taken out. The macroscopic and microscopic appearances of gastric ulcers and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in gastric tissues were assessed. In addition, the expression of NF-κB p65 was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Compared to the untreated rats with gastric ulcer, FFBR extract significantly decreased ulcer area even superior to omeprazole in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, histological examination revealed that the extract (300 mg/kg) accelerated the epithelialization and differentiation of proliferative cells to mucosal tissue. The FFBR extract (300 mg/kg) increased tissue levels of VEGF and PGE₂, but it did not affect MDA levels in rats with gastric ulcers. FFBR treatment (all doses) could significantly inhibit the expression of NF-κB p65 in gastric tissue. Taken together, experimental findings suggested that FFBR could accelerate the healing process of gastric ulcers in rats through mediating NF-κB and VEGF/PGE₂ pathways.