Digestion of h-EGF, h-TGF alpha, and BPC-15 in human gastric juice

An Experimental Model of Prolonged Esophagitis With Sphincter Failure in the Rat and the Therapeutic Potential of Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157

“…esophageal and pyloric sphincters was associated with pentadecapeptide BPC 157 given directly into the stomach lumen. That BPC 157 rapidly affects sphincters pressure is not surprising considering its long stability in human gastric juice (8) and rapid anti-ulcer effect against ethanol-necrotizing lesions when given intragastrically (1, 28). Given systemically, it maintains the pressure of both sphincters for at least 24 h. In addition, the role of this peptide is supported by the interactions with sphincter controlling systems (2, 3).…”

“…Therefore, the positive effects of BPC 157 are a direct consequence of its own peptidergic activity (1 -7, 25 -39, 53). It is suitably stable (1 -12, 25 -39, 47 -49, 53) because it has intact presence in gastric juice for more than 24 h, unlike the labile standard peptides like EGF or TGF-β that are degraded within minutes (8). Unstable standard peptides, like EGF (55), which are supposed to protect esophageal mucosa, need carrier(s) addition, forming peptide + carrier(s) complex, and raising unavoidable methodology / activity dilemmas (for reviews, see refs.…”

“…BPC 157 is a stable anti-ulcer peptide (1 -7), particularly in human gastric juice (8), with no toxicity reported so far (9). The gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 is now in trials for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (coded PL-10, PLD-116 by Pliva, Croatia) and wound healing (5, 6) (including muscle healing after complete transection) (10).…”

Effective therapy of transected quadriceps muscle in rat: Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157

“…Here, unlike effects of standard growth factors with carrier(s) 14,15 (thereby, peptide þ carrier(s)-complex with considerable methodological/activity dilemmas 15 ), these special pentadecapeptide BPC 157 characteristics [i.e., its high stability (in human gastric juice 17 ), use without carrier [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]18,19 ] permit its functional, biomechanical, macroscopic, and microscopic effects [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]18,19 and exemplified mechanism(s) to be unmistakably attributed.…”

“…Mostly limited to direct local administration, standard peptide growth factors 14 elicit no full muscle recovery, but rather scar tissue accumulation, 14 even confronted with less severe injuries [besides, wound healing by transforming growth factor (TGF)-b given with carrier 16 contrasts with muscle healing attempts with antifibrotic agents, TGF-b1 inhibitors 14 ]. On the contrary, muscle-healing, not restricted to direct local peptide application, likely could be achieved with BPC 157: a stable agent (i.e., in otherwise highly degradating media, like in human gastric juice more than 24 h, unlike standard growth factors degrading within minutes 17 ) advantageously effective alone, given systemically, without carrier, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]18,19 with woundhealing treatment 1,2,5,7 -9 presents posttransection healing promptly and then maintains the healing along with full function restoration, 1 even tendonto-bone healing, 2 despite hypocellular, hypovascular, hyponeural conditions. 1 Besides, the potential upregulation of the growth factors, and other local factors, acting to mediate the growth and repair, was suggested (i.e., deep skin burns 7 ), and it acts even without a major source of growth factors, such as salivary gland.…”