The amelioration of
corticosteroid-impairment of healing by a stable gastric pentadecapeptide
BPC-157 (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, M(w) 1419, currently in early clinical trials for
inflammatory bowel disease) was studied in thermally injured mice. Its effects on
corticosteroid impaired healing of deep partial skin thickness
burns, and
burn-gastric lesions were investigated. Male NMRI-Hannover mice (sacrificed at 1-3,7,14 and 21 days following burning 20% of total
burn area at the back (open flame for 7s) received intraperitoneally (per kg bw) 6alpha-
methylprednisolone (
Depo-medrol, 1.0 or 10.0mg), or an equal volume of saline (5.0 ml), once daily, first application 30 min after injury, last 24h before sacrifice. The injury was subsequently treated by topical application of a thin layer of pentadecapeptide
BPC-157 cream at three different levels a neutral cream of no treatment. Pentadecapeptide
BPC-157 consistently improved given
burn healing (both microscopical and tensionmetry assessment), and counteracted
corticosteroid-impairment of
burn healing. In
burn-gastric lesions investigation of the effects of BPC showed an anti-
ulcer effect of its own in burned non-
corticosteroid-treated mice and potentiated the anti-
ulcer effect observed in 6alpha-
methylprednisolone-treated mice. Pentadecapeptide
BPC-157 inhibited
corticosteroid immunosuppression. In vitro, in spleenic cells assessment, animals (sacrificed at day 21) treated with 6alpha-
methylprednisolone 1mg showed decreased reactivity to
nitrogen in comparison with control, healthy animals, while the addition of
BPC-157 (1 microg/g cream) returned cell reactivity to values noted in control healthy animals.