Anti-ulcerogenic effect of chitin and chitosan on mucosal antioxidant defence system in HCl-ethanol-induced ulcer in rats

Abstract

The anti-ulcerogenic effect of chitin and chitosan against ulcer induced by HCl-ethanol in male Wistar rats was studied. Levels of acid output, pepsin, protein, lipid peroxides and reduced glutathione and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in the gastric mucosa of normal and experimental groups of rats. A significant increase in volume and acidity of the gastric juice was observed in the ulcer-induced group of rats. Peptic activity was significantly decreased as compared with that of normal controls. In the rats pre-treated with chitin and chitosan 2% along with feed, the volume and acid output and peptic activity of gastric mucosa were maintained at near normal levels. The level of lipid peroxidation was significantly higher in the ulcerated mucosa when compared with that of normal controls. This was paralleled by a decline in the level of reduced glutathione and in the activity of antioxidant enzymes like GPx, GST, CAT and SOD in the gastric mucosa of ulcer-induced rats. Also, the levels of mucosal proteins and glycoprotein components were significantly depleted in ulcerated mucosa. The pre-treatment with chitin and chitosan was found to exert a significant anti-ulcer effect by preventing all the HCl-ethanol-induced ulcerogenic effects in experimental rats.

Alcohol stress, membranes, and chaperones

“…Chitosan, a polysaccharide found in shellfish, krill, fungi, and insects, has membrane stabilizing properties (Filipović-Grcić et al 2001) and helps to upregulate Hsp70 expression (Khodagholi et al 2010). Chitosan was reported to be neuroprotective by suppressing Aβ formation (Khodagholi et al 2010), it can reduce age-related dyslipidemic abnormalities and oxidative stress in aged rats (Anandan et al 2013), and has anti-ulcerogenic effect against HCl-ethanol induced ulcer (Anandan et al 2004). Geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) is an antiulcer drug which protects the cells of the gastric mucosa against several forms of stress.…”

Glucosamine Sodium Sulfate Can Penetrate Skin and May Affect Glucose Metabolism in Rats

“…Proponents suggest, therefore, that GlcN could be used to build bones [5]. GlcN also increases the barrier function of skin cells and stimulates intestinal epithelial cells to secrete mucin, which has an anti-ulcerogenic effect [6,7]. Because of these benefits, GlcN represents a potentially useful biologically active compound [8], and it has already been approved as a prescription drug in Europe, a food supplement in the USA, and a health food in China [9,10].…”

Dietary chitosan supplementation attenuates isoprenaline-induced oxidative stress in rat myocardium

“…Previous reports [3,4] have shown that the dietary supplementation of chitosan is capable of ameliorating high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia in experimental animals. Earlier Anandan et al [5] investigated the antiulcer effect of chitosan against HCl-ethanol mixture induced peptic ulcer in rats. It has been reported to possess antilipidemic [6], antioxidant [7] and membrane stabilizing properties [8].…”