1. Polymer fraction of Aloe vera exhibits a protective activity on ethanol-induced gastric lesions.
- Author
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Park CH, Nam DY, Son HU, Lee SR, Lee HJ, Heo JC, Cha TY, Baek JH, and Lee SH
- Subjects
- Animals, Biomarkers metabolism, Gastric Mucosa pathology, Gene Expression Profiling, Inflammation pathology, Male, Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 metabolism, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Nitric Oxide Synthase metabolism, Plant Preparations chemistry, Polymers chemistry, Stomach Ulcer genetics, Stomach Ulcer pathology, Aloe chemistry, Ethanol, Gastric Mucosa drug effects, Plant Preparations pharmacology, Polymers pharmacology, Stomach Ulcer chemically induced, Stomach Ulcer enzymology
- Abstract
For centuries, Aloe has been used as a herbal plant remedy against skin disorders, diabetes, and for its cardiac stimulatory activity. Here, we examined the gastroprotective effects of an Aloe vera polymer fraction (Avpf; molecular weight cut-off ≥50 kDa; 150 mg/kg body weight, p.o.) on an ethanol-induced gastric lesion mouse model. Mice pre-treated with Avpf had significantly fewer gastric lesions than their respective controls. To further examine the potential mechanism underlying this effect, we used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to examine nitric oxide synthase and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)mRNA expression on tissues from gastric lesions. Our results revealed that the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) were each reduced by ~50% in Avpf-treated mice vs. the controls, whereas, the mRNA expression levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase remained unchanged. MMP-9, an index for gastric lesions, also alleviated the ethanol-treated gastric ulceration during Avpf treatment. These findings collectively suggest that Avpf significantly protects the gastric mucosa against ethanol-induced gastric damage, at least in part, by decreasing mRNA expression levels of not only iNOS and nNOS, but also MMP-9.
- Published
- 2011
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