The gastric ulcer-healing action of allylpyrocatechol is mediated by modulation of arginase metabolism and shift of cytokine balance.

Abstract

The role of the ariginine-metabolism in the healing action of the Piper betle phenol, allylpyrocatechol (APC) and omeprazole against indomethacin-induced stomach ulceration in mouse was investigated. Indomethacin (18 mg/kg) was found to induce maximum stomach ulceration in Swiss albino mice on the 3rd day of its administration, which was associated with reduced arginase activity (21.6%, P<0.05), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression (72%, P<0.001), and IL-4 and TGF-beta levels, along with increased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (9.3 folds, P<0.001) expression, nitrite (2.29 folds, P<0.001), IL-1beta and IL-6 generation. Besides providing comparable healing as omeprazole (3 mg/kg x 3 days), APC (5 mg/kg x 3 days) shifted the iNOS/NO axis to the arginase/polyamine axis as revealed from the increased arginase activity (73.1%, P<0.001), eNOS expression (67.8%, P<0.001), and reduced iNOS expression (65.6%, P<0.001) and nitrite level (53.2%, P<0.001). These can be attributed to a favourable anti-/pro-inflammatory cytokines ratio, generated by APC. The healing by omeprazole was however, not significantly associated with those parameters.

• Authors: Sudhir K Yadav, Biplab Adhikary, Biswanath Maity, Sandip K Bandyopadhyay, Subrata Chattopadhyay
• Journal: European journal of pharmacology (Eur J Pharmacol) Vol. 614 Issue 1-3 Pg. 106-13 (Jul 01 2009) ISSN: 1879-0712 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 19409889 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Catechols
• Cytokines
• Nitrites
• allylpyrocatechol
• Nitric Oxide
• Arginine
• Peroxidase
• Nitric Oxide Synthase
• Arginase

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (metabolism)
• Arginase (metabolism)
• Arginine (metabolism)
• Catechols (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cytokines (blood, metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic (drug effects)
• Male
• Mice
• Mucous Membrane (drug effects, enzymology, metabolism)
• Nitric Oxide (biosynthesis)
• Nitric Oxide Synthase (metabolism)
• Nitrites (blood)
• Peroxidase (metabolism)
• Stomach Ulcer (blood, drug therapy, enzymology, metabolism)