Snail Mucus Protective Effect on Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Mice

Abstract

Nowadays, an increased interest in natural compounds with preventive or therapeutic potential for various diseases has been observed. Given the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcer (GU) and the wide range of bioactive compounds isolated from snails, this study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774) mucus on ethanol-induced GUs. Male albino mice were divided into Control, Ethanol, Mucus + Ethanol and Mucus + Omeprazole treated groups. The GUs were induced by administration of 96% ethanol (10 mL/kg, per os). One hour before ulcer induction, the mice of Mucus + Ethanol group were pretreated with mucus (20 mg/kg, per os), and the mice of Mucus + Omeprazole group were pretreated with omeprazole (20 mg/kg, per os). Ethanol administration caused grave lesions of gastric mucosa and a significant decrease of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione reductase (GR) activities. In the animals with mucus or omeprazole pre-administration compared to the Ethanol group, the following were observed: only a small number of hemorrhagic fields, significantly reduced GU index with calculated 73% protection by mucus and 78% protection by omeprazole, and significant recovery of mucosal GSH and SOD and GR activities. In addition, the mucus inhibited Helicobacter pylori growth. Thus, the protective effect of C. aspersum mucus on both gastric mucosa and gastric antioxidant potential in ethanol-induced GU model suggests that it may serve as a good tool for prevention of this disease.

Antibacterial Properties of Peptide and Protein Fractions from Cornu aspersum Mucus

“…Based on the performed analysis, 18 protein bands were identified, most of which had an MW between 23 and 200 kDa. The obtained results presented in Figure 5c are in good agreement with the results of the MALDI-Tof-MS analysis in the 20-80 kDa region of fresh extract from C. aspersum mucus [29]. Results from the UniProt database show that the following proteins were detected in this region: glutathione peroxidases from Biomphalaria glabrata with an MW of 21.252 kDa (A0A2C9L5T6), an MW of 22.812 kDa (A0A2C9JW73), and an MW of 24.101 kDa (A0A2C9JBG3); peroxiredoxin-5 from P. canaliculata (A0A2T7NZ99, MW of 20.751 kDa); glutathione S-transferases with an MW of 27.978 kDa (from P. canaliculata, A0A2T7PWN7), with an MW of 27.599 kDa (from B. glabrata, A0A9U8DVA0), and with an MW of 27.774 kDa (from Haliotis rubra, XM_025244070.1); and probable glutathione S-transferase with an MW of 23.092 kDa (from Aplysia californica, XM_035968272.1).…”

“…Based on the performed analysis, 18 protein bands were identified, most of which had an MW between 23 and 200 kDa. The obtained results presented in Figure 5c are in good agreement with the results of the MALDI-Tof-MS analysis in the 20-80 kDa region of fresh extract from C. aspersum mucus [29].…”

“…Based on the conducted search, it was found that the protein presented at protein band 17.565 kDa corresponded well with the mucus protein [C. aspersum, QEG59314] detected at 17.5 kDa in [26]. Detected proteins in the range 20-31 kDa probably belong to families of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione transferases (GSTs) because several studies have confirmed the antioxidant properties (glutathione transferase activity) of C. aspersum mucus [27][28][29]. A more accurate analysis of molecular masses and protein intensities in the mucus fraction with an MW > 20 kDa was obtained by ImageQuant TM TL v8.2.0 software, after the scanning of 12% SDS-PAGE (Figure 5b,c).…”

“…In the last decade, several studies reported antibacterial and antioxidant properties, as well as healing potential in treating wounds on the mucus of some land snails [ 18 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. The antimicrobial activity of land snail mucus is known to be related not only to the presence of AMPs but also to some antibacterial proteins and glycoproteins [ 30 , 31 ].…”

The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health

“…The preventive effect of another natural product-snail mucus Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774)-has been investigated as an antiulcerogenic agent on the pathogenesis of ethanolinduced gastric ulcer [7]. The protection of mucus in this model of gastric damage is probably due to the complex action of many factors, including the protection of molecules with antioxidant properties, substances that provide tissue regeneration, and compounds with antimicrobial properties effects that may contribute to the beneficial effect of snail mucus in stomach ulcers and make it a suitable substance for the prevention of stomach diseases.…”