2. Academic Validation
  3. Estragole prevents gastric ulcers via cytoprotective, antioxidant and immunoregulatory mechanisms in animal models

Estragole prevents gastric ulcers via cytoprotective, antioxidant and immunoregulatory mechanisms in animal models

  • Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Oct:130:110578. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110578.
Edvaldo Balbino Alves Júnior 1,  Rodrigo de Oliveira Formiga 2,  Catarina Alves de Lima Serafim 3,  Maria Elaine Cristina Araruna 4,  Michele Liz de Souza Pessoa 5,  Roseane Carvalho Vasconcelos 6,  Thais Gomes de Carvalho 7,  Tamires Gonçalves de Jesus 8,  Aurigena Antunes Araújo 9,  Raimundo Fernandes de Araujo Junior 10,  Giciane Carvalho Vieira 11,  Marianna Vieira Sobral 12,  Leônia Maria Batista 13
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: edvaldojunioralves@gmail.com.
  • 2 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: rodrigo.formigadc@gmail.com.
  • 3 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: catarinaalvesdelima@gmail.com.
  • 4 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: elaine.araruna@gmail.com.
  • 5 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: michelleliz2008@hotmail.com.
  • 6 Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Biosciences Center Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: r.roseane@hotmail.com.
  • 7 Department of Morphology, Histology and Basic Pathology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: thaisbida2013@gmail.com.
  • 8 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: tamiresgoncalvess1109@gmail.com.
  • 9 Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Biosciences Center Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: aurigena@ufrnet.br.
  • 10 Department of Morphology, Histology and Basic Pathology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: araujojr@cb.ufrn.br.
  • 11 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: gicianecvieira@ccs.ufpb.ufpb.br.
  • 12 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: mariannavbs@gmail.com.
  • 13 Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Electronic address: leoniab@uol.com.br.
PMID: 32750650 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110578
Abstract

Background: Estragole is an aromatic organic compound belonging to the class of Phenylpropanoids derived from cinnamic aldehydes and present in essential oils of plant species, such asRavensara anisata (madeira), Ocimum basilicum (manjericão/alfavaca) and Croton zehntneri (canelinha). Pharmacological studies report its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and vasorelaxant activity.

Hypothesis/purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the acute non-clinical toxicity, gastroprotective activity and the related mechanisms of action.

Methods: Acute toxicity was assessed according to OECD guide 423 in mice. Ethanol, stress, piroxicam and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer models were used to investigate antiulcer properties. The related mechanisms of action were using the ethanol-gastric lesions protocol.

Results: In the acute oral toxicity assay, doses of 300 or 2000 mg/kg of estragole administered orally in Swiss mice did not induce any behavioral changes. However, the dose of 2000 mg/kg showed a decrease in water and feed intake. Lethal dose 50 % (LD50) was set to be equal to or greater than 2500 mg/kg, according to OECD. In all evaluated protocols, estragole (31.25, 62.5, 125 and 250 mg/kg) significantly reduced the area of ​​ulcerative lesion when compared to control groups. To investigate the mechanisms involved in the gastroprotective activity, the antisecretory or neutralizing of gastric secretion, cytoprotectant, antioxidant and immunoregulatory effects were evaluated. Results showed that treatment with estragole (250 mg/kg) reduced (p < 0.05) the volume of the gastric juice. Besides, sulfhydryl groups, nitric oxide, mucus and prostaglandins seems to be involved in the gastroprotective property. Treatment also increased (p < 0.001) levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and positive cells marked for Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). It also reduced (p < 0.001) malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (p < 0.05) levels.

Conclusion: Thus, it is possible to infer that estragole presents gastroprotective activity related to antisecretory, cytoprotective, antioxidant and immunomodulatory mechanisms.

Keywords

Antioxidant; Cytoprotection; Estragole; Gastric ulcer; Gastroprotection; Immunoregulatory.

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