Effect of Gefarnate on Acute Gastric Mucosal Lesion Progression in Rats Treated with Compound 48/80, a Mast Cell Degranulator, in Comparison with That of Teprenone

Potential Antiulcer Agents From Plants: A Comprehensive Review

Background:

Peptic ulcer is a deep gastrointestinal erosion disorder that involves the entire mucosal thickness and can even penetrate the muscular mucosa. Nowadays, several plants and compounds derived from it have been screened for their antiulcer activity. In the last few years, there has been an exponential growth in the field of herbal medicine. This field has gained popularity in both developing and developed countries because of their natural origin and less side effects.

Objective:

This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of currently available knowledge of medicinal plants and phytoconstituents reported for their anti-ulcer properties.

Methods:

The worldwide accepted database like SCOPUS, PUBMED, SCIELO, NISCAIR, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, Web of Science, Wiley, SciFinder and Google Scholar were used to retrieve available published literature.

Results:

A comprehensive review of the present paper is an attempt to list the plants with antiulcer activity. The review narrates the dire need to explore potential chemical moieties that exert an antiulcer effect, from unexploited traditional plants. Furthermore, the present study reveals the intense requirement to exploit the exact mechanism through which either the plant extracts or their active constituents exhibit their antiulcer properties.

Conclusion:

This article is the compilation of the plants and its constituents reported for the treatment of peptic ulcers. The Comprehensive data will surely attract the number of investigators to initiate further research that might lead to the drugs for the treatment of ulcers. As sufficient scientific data is not available on plants, most of the herbals cannot be recommended for the treatment of diseases. This can be achieved by research on pure chemical structures derived from plants or to prepare new lead compounds with proven beneficial preclinical in vitro and in vivo effects. However, a lot remains to be done in further investigations for the better status of medicinal plants.

HSP70 protects rats and hippocampal neurons from central nervous system oxygen toxicity by suppression of NO production and NF-κB activation

During diving, central nervous system oxygen toxicity may cause drowning or barotrauma, which has dramatically limited the working benefits of hyperbaric oxygen in underwater operations and clinical applications. The aim of this study is to understand the effects and the underlying mechanism of heat shock protein 70 on central nervous system oxygen toxicity and its mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. Rats were given geranylgeranylacetone (800 mg/kg) orally to induce hippocampal expression of heat shock protein 70 and then treated with hyperbaric oxygen. The time course of hippocampal heat shock protein 70 expression after geranylgeranylacetone administration was measured. Seizure latency and first electrical discharge were recorded to evaluate the effects of HSP70 on central nervous system oxygen toxicity. Effects of inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and nuclear factor-κB on the seizure latencies and changes in nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-κB levels in the hippocampus tissues were examined. In cell experiments, hippocampal neurons were transfected with a virus vector carrying the heat shock protein 70 gene (H3445) before hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Cell viability, heat shock protein 70 expression, nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase, and NF-κB levels in neurons were measured. The results showed that heat shock protein 70 expression significantly increased and peaked at 48 h after geranylgeranylacetone was given. Geranylgeranylacetone prolonged the first electrical discharge and seizure latencies, which was reversed by neuronal nitric oxide synthase, inducible nitric oxide synthase and NF-κB inhibitors. Nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase, and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels in the hippocampus were significantly increased after hyperbaric oxygen exposure, but reversed by geranylgeranylacetone, while heat shock protein 70 inhibitor quercetin could inhibit this effect of geranylgeranylacetone. In the in vitro study, heat shock protein 70-overexpression decreased the nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase, and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels as well as the cytoplasm/nucleus ratio of nuclear factor-κB and protected neurons from hyperbaric oxygen-induced cell injury. In conclusion, overexpression of heat shock protein 70 in hippocampal neurons may protect rats from central nervous system oxygen toxicity by suppression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase-mediated nitric oxide production and translocation of nuclear factor-κB to nucleus. Impact statement Because the pathogenesis of central nervous system oxygen toxicity (CNS-OT) remains unclear, there are few interventions available. To develop an efficient strategy against CNS-OT, it is necessary to understand its pathogenesis and in particular, the relevant key factors involved. This study examined the protective effects of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) on CNS-OT via in vivo and in vitro experiments. Our results indicated that overexpression of HSP70 in hippocampal neurons may protect rats from CNS-OT by suppression of nNOS and iNOS-mediated NO production and the activation of NF-κB. These findings contribute to clarification of the role of HSP70 in CNS-OT and provide us a potential novel target to prevent CNS-OT. Clarification of the involvement of NO, NOS and NF-κB provides new insights into the mechanism of CNS-OT and may help us to develop new approach against it by interfering these molecules.