Sphaeranthus senegalensis DC: Evaluation of chemical constituents, oral safety, gastroprotective activity, and mechanism of action of its hydroethanolic extract

Pharmacological insight of rutin as a potential candidate against peptic ulcer

Peptic ulcer is a sore on the stomach lining that results from the erosion of the gastrointestinal tract mucosa due to various influencing factors. Of these, Helicobacter pylori infection and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) stand out as the most prominent causes. This condition poses a significant global health concern due to its widespread impact on individuals worldwide. While various treatment strategies have been employed, including proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists, these have notable side effects and limitations. Thus, there is a pressing need for new treatments to address this global health issue. Rutin, a natural flavonoid, exhibits a range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. This review explores the potential anti-ulcer effect of rutin in experimental models and how rutin can be a better alternative for treating peptic ulcers. We used published literature from different online databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. This work highlights the abundance of rutin in various natural sources and its potential as a promising option for peptic ulcer treatment. Notably, the anti-inflammatory properties of rutin, which involve inhibiting inflammatory mediators and the COX-2 enzyme, are emphasized. While acknowledging the potential of rutin, it is important to underscore the necessity for further research to fully delineate its therapeutic potential and clinical applicability in managing peptic ulcers and ultimately improving patient outcomes. This review on the anti-ulcer potential of rutin opened a new door for further study in the field of alternative medicine in peptic ulcer management.

Evidence for the Involvement of Cytokines Modulation and Prokinetic Properties in Gastric Ulcer Healing Effects of Helicteres sacarolha A. St.-Hil. A. Juss

Preparations of Helicteres sacarolha (Malvaceae) leaves and roots are used in the form of decoction, infusion or maceration, to treat gastrointestinal disturbances, among others. Studies supporting some of its ethnomedicinal uses are still incipient. The present study aimed to investigate it potential effect on chronic ulcer, ulcerative colitis and possible prokinetic activities as part of its mechanism of action. The powdered leaves of Helicteres sacarolha (HEHs) was prepared by maceration in 70 % hydroethanolic solution. Its qualitative phytochemical constituents were investigated by direct flow injection analysis coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (FIA-APCI-IT-MSⁿ ). The gastric ulcer healing effect was evaluated in acetic acid induced chronic ulcer in mice and the lesions were evaluated, including analysis of blood plasma cytokine levels. The prokinetic properties (gastric emptying and intestinal transit) were carried out in mice. Potential anti-ulcerative colitis activity was evaluated in rats using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (5 % TNBS) -induced colitis. All animal experiments were carried out at the doses of 20, 50 and 250 mg/kg (p.o.). Eight compounds were putatively identified, specifically lariciresinol, and its derivatives, kaempferol derivatives and Tricin-O-Glc. The extract promoted increased gastric ulcer healing at all doses tested. Modulation of the cytokines involved inhibition of some key pro-inflammatory cytokines with maximum effect on IL-1β (70 %, 50 mg/kg, p<0.05), TNF-α (79 %, 20 mg/kg, p<0.01), and in the anti-inflammatory cytokines, namely IL-10 (57 %, 50 mg/kg, p<0.05) and IL-17 (79 %, only at 50 mg/kg, p<0.05). Histological findings demonstrated a mitigated inflammatory activity, and tissues undergoing regeneration. HEHs treatment caused delayed gastric emptying, and increased intestinal transit, but had no effect in the experimentally induced ulcerative colitis. We report for the first time putatively the presence of Lariciresinol and tricin derivatives from the hydroethanolic leaves extract of H. sacarolha. Its possible mechanism of actions of gastric ulcer healing involves cytokines modulation, mitigation of inflammatory response and tissue regeneration and provoked opposing effect in the gastrointestinal system. The present study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of H. sacarolha leaves used in Brazilian ethnomedicine in the treatment of chronic gastric ulcer.

Alloimperatorin from Ammi majus fruits mitigates Piroxicam-provoked gastric ulcer and hepatorenal toxicity in rats via suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis

Introduction: Fruits of Ammi majus, commonly called bishop's weed, contain a significant amount of furanocoumarins. Alloimperatorin (Allo, 6) was isolated from the free coumarin fraction of fruits, beside 8-hydroxypsoralen (1), methoxsalen (2), heraclin (3), isoimperatorin (4), imperatorin (5), isoheraclenin (7) and heraclenin hydrate (8). Piroxicam (Px) is a widely used pain-relieving drug that demonstrated side effects, including gastric ulceration and hepatorenal toxicity.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the protective potential of Alloimperatorin against Px-induced gastric ulceration and hepatorenal toxicity.Material & Methods: Rats were divided into four groups: Negative control, Px-induced rats, Allo + Px co-treated group, and Pc + Px co-treated group. Allo (25 mg/kg body weight) and Pc (25 mg/kg body weight) treatments were received 5 days before and 4 days after Px intoxication for 4 days (50 mg/kg body weight). Serum prostaglandin E2 (PG-E2) and liver and kidney functions were measured. Oxidative stress markers were evaluated in the three tissues. Histopathological features and caspase-3 immunoexpression were monitoredResults & Discussion: Px triggered gastric ulceration, increased indices of liver and kidney functions, decreased PG-E2 levels, provoked oxidative stress, and activated caspase-3 immunoexpression. Co-treatment with Allo demonstrated protective activities.Conclusion: Alloimperatorin exhibited anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities.

Assessment of the Potential of Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai. in Treating Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats Based on Metabolomics and Network Analysis

Gastric ulcer (GU) is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases worldwide, threatening human health and seriously affecting quality of life. Reports have shown that the Chinese herbal medicine Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai (SGN) can treat GU. However, its pharmacological effects deserve further validation; in addition, its mechanism of action is unclear. An acute gastric ulcer (AGU) rat model induced by alcohol was used to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of SGN by analysis of the histopathological changes in stomach tissue and related cytokine levels; the potential mechanisms of action of SGN were investigated via serum metabolomics and network pharmacology. Differential metabolites of rat serum were identified by metabolomics and the metabolic pathways of the identified metabolites were enriched via MetaboAnalyst. Furthermore, the critical ingredients and candidate targets of SGN anti-AGU were elucidated. A compound-reaction-enzyme-gene network was established using Cytoscape version 3.8.2 based on integrated analysis of metabolomics and network pharmacology. Finally, molecular docking was applied to verify the acquired key targets. The results showed that SGN exerted a certain gastroprotective effect via multiple pathways and targets. The effects of SGN were mainly caused by the key active ingredients isofraxidin, rosmarinic, and caffeic acid, which regulate hub targets, such as PTGS2, MAPK1, and KDR, which maintain the homeostasis of related metabolites. Signal pathways involved energy metabolism as well as immune and amino acid metabolism. Overall, the multi-omics techniques were proven to be promising tools in illuminating the mechanism of action of SGN in protecting against diseases. This integrated strategy provides a basis for further research and clinical application of SGN.

Protective effect of active components of Eucommia ulmoides leaves on gastric ulcers in rats: Involvement of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway

Eucommia ulmoides leaves are widely developed as food and medicines in China and Japan. Its main components have anti-inflammatory properties against gastric ulcers. The purpose of this study was to assess the protective role of an extract derived from the active components of Eucommia ulmoides leaves (EUL 50) against a gastric ulcer and analyze the underlying antiulcer mechanism. The main components of EUL 50 were identified using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were performed to predict the possible mechanism of action of EUL 50 in the treatment of gastric ulcers. The rats received EUL 50 intragastric administration twice a day for 3 days. Hydrochloric acid/ethanol (HCl/EtOH) was utilized to induce gastric ulcers, followed by histopathological and histochemical evaluation of the ulcer tissues and determination of the main oxidative stress parameters and inflammatory cytokines. The expression of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway-related proteins was measured. Neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and so on were identified as the major components of EUL 50 by UPLC. The prediction results identified the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway as the main possible protective mechanism against gastric ulcers. Furthermore, in a dose-dependent manner, EUL 50 reduced gastric tissue damage. In addition, the high dose of EUL 50 administration resulted in remarkable reductions in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) by 22.64%, 42.61%, 57.78%, and 56.51%, respectively, and suppression of the phosphorylation of Akt, p65, IKKα, and IκBα by 60.87%, 67.65, 74.58%, and 59.57%, respectively, and increased the antioxidant enzyme activity. EUL 50 is rich in flavonoids and organic acids that can act on the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway; as a result, oxidative stress and inflammation are considerably reduced, and gastric ulcers caused by HCl/EtOH are reduced. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: As a medicinal and food substance, Eucommia ulmoides leaves are widely used in the development of health products. EUL 50, a moderately polar part of E. ulmoides leaves, was obtained by extraction and enrichment and was found to have a better protective effect against HCl/EtOH-induced gastric ulcers. This finding can enrich the traditional application of E. ulmoides leaves and provide a basis for their health product development.