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Objective: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), a widely administered anti-cancer drug, causes gastrointestinal damage through various mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect of silk fibroin (SF), which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, against 5 FU-induced gastrointestinal damage. Materials and methods: Wistar albino rats were divided into 3 groups; Control group, 5-FU group (30mg/kg/day on days 0, 2, 4), and 5-FU+SF (30 mg/kg/day 5-FU on days 0, 2, 4 + 600 mg/kg/day SF for 14 days). At the end of the experiment, stomach and intestinal tissue samples were collected and immunohistochemically iNOS, caspase-3, CD4+ and CD8+ were measured. Besides, structural damage was assessed with hematoxylin-eosin and caspase-3 and 9 activities were evaluated using western blot analysis. Results and Discussion: It was determined that iNOS, caspase-3, caspase-9 activities, CD4+ and CD8+ levels and structural damage significantly increased in both stomach and intestinal tissues. Furthermore, elevated markers were regressed almost to control levels in SF administrated group. Conclusion: SF may have an ameliorative effect, thus reducing the gastrointestinal damage caused by 5 FU. More clinical and scientific research should be conducted as the silk fibroin may be a suitable candidate against the adverse effects of chemotherapeuic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcers that develop due to alcohol consumption are frequently confronted. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of silk fibroin on the pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic protein expression levels on ethanol induced-ulcer models in rats. For three consecutive days, orogastrically either silk fibroin or saline were given to rats. On the 4th day, animals were deprived of food but allowed free access to water for 24 h before the experiment. While control groups were treated with only physiological saline, the ulcer groups were treated orally either with saline or silk fibroin groups. For ulcer induction, 1 ml of absolute ethanol by gavage were given to both group. Firstly, intracardiac blood was taken at 60 min of EtOH or saline administration and immediately animals were decapitated. In blood samples, the amount of TNF-, IL-1ß were analysed whereas in stomach tissues, the levels of MDA, GSH, and MPO activity and the expression levels of bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and -9 were determined. In ulcer groups, the amount of TNF-, IL-1ß, MDA, MPO, caspase-3 and caspase-9 were found to be significantly higher compared to control groups whereas in GSH, Bcl-2/Bax were found to be lower (p < 0.005). In treatment groups it is observed that silk fibroin recovers the amount of TNF-, IL 1-ß, MDA, MPO, GSH, caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bcl- 2/Bax. In conclusion, for the treatment of the gastric ulcer SF thought to be very efficient therapeutic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]