Brazilian Medicinal Plant Acts on Prostaglandin Level andHelicobacter pylori

Abstract

Among the current treatment strategies for the peptic ulcer patient with Helicobacter pylori infection, the method of choice is triple therapy based on the concurrent use of proton inhibitors and two antibiotics. Alchornea triplinervia is a medicinal plant commonly used by people living in the Cerrado region of Brazil to treat gastrointestinal ulcers. In the present work we proposed therapy based on this medicinal plant that presents effective gastroprotective action with antibiotic effects. Oral pretreatment with methanolic extract (ME) of A. triplinervia in rats and mice decreased the gastric injuries induced by ethanol and HCl/ethanol. Increasing the dose reduced the gastroprotective effects of ME on the gastric lesions induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. After pylorus ligature of mice, oral administration of ME induced a decrease not only in total acid but also in the ulcer index. We also observed that ME displayed antibacterial activity against H. pylori. Liquid-liquid separation of ME indicated that active constituents responsible for the gastroprotective action are concentrated in the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) (50% protection) rather than in the aqueous fraction, which did not induce significant gastroprotection at the same dose (100 mg/kg). EAF induced an increase of gastric mucosa prostaglandin (PG) E 2 levels, which remained high even after previous administration of indomethacin. The phytochemical profile of ME revealed that EAF contains mainly flavonoids. In conclusion, all these results suggest that ME did not show acute toxicity, but exhibited an antisecretory property, anti-H. pylori effect, and gastroprotective action. The observed effect did not involve the participation of nitric oxide or endogenous sulfhydryl groups. However, EAF showed a more efficient gastroprotective effect than ME at a lower dose and protected the gastric mucosa by increasing PGE 2 .

The progress of experimental research on the Chinese medicine treatment for chronic atrophic gastritis

“…Arg., which exhibited anti-secretory, anti-Helicobacter pylori and gastroprotective effects [24]. The results showed the blood EGF level increased and the EGFR mRNA expression in the gastric mucosa was up-regulated with a significant differences when it compared treatment group with those model group (P<0.05).…”

Spices as Alternative Agents for Gastric Ulcer Prevention and Treatment

“…Citrus lemon and limonene protective effect is linked with PGE2 and mediated by enhancing mucus secretion, HSP-70 and VIP (90). The antiulcer effect of ethyl acetate fraction of Alchornea triplinervia, a medicinal plant used in Brazil to treat gastrointestinal ulcers, is mainly related to its flavonoids content and mediated by increasing gastric mucosal prostaglandin PGE2 levels (75). While PGE2, and vascular endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) levels decrease, EGF and endostatin levels increase in indomethacin-induced ulceration in mice.…”

“…In disparity, many spices and plant extracts, in commonly used dose, up to 500mg/kg body weight have not exhibited adverse effect. These include cardamom (62,68), black pepper (66), clove (67), caraway (69), saffron (70),coriander(71), peppermint (72), anise (73), davilla elliptica and nitida (74) ,Brazilian medical plants (75) and Alchornea triplinervia (76) and Hyptis spicigera Lam (86). Even in pregnancy, ginger, peppermint, and Cannabis have been used to treat nausea were effective and lack clinical evidence of harm (165).…”

Role of Natural Antioxidants in Gastritis

“…Mull. Arg., which exhibited anti-secretory, antiHelicobacter pylori and gastroprotective effects (Lima et al, 2008). Several mechanisms of action have been proposed to illustrate its anti-inflammatory effects.…”