Abstract
Peptic ulcers are currently treated with various drugs, all having serious side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the gastroprotective activity of calein D (from Calea urticifolia), a sesquiterpene lactone with a germacrane skeleton. Gastric lesions were induced in mice by administering ethanol (0.2 mL) after oral treatment with calein D at 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, resulting in 13.15 ± 3.44%, 77.65 ± 7.38% and 95.76 ± 2.18% gastroprotection, respectively, to be compared with that of the control group. The effect found for 30 mg/kg of calein D was not reversed by pretreatment with NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, 70 mg/kg, ip), indomethacin (10 mg/kg, sc) or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM, 10 mg/kg, sc). Hence, the mechanism of action of calein D does not involve NO, prostaglandins or sulfhydryl compounds. Calein D was more potent than carbenoxolone, the reference drug. The findings for the latter are in agreement with previous reports.
Keywords:
Calea urticifolia; calein D; gastric ulcer; gastroprotection; sesquiterpene lactones.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Asteraceae / chemistry*
-
Disease Models, Animal
-
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
-
Ethanol / adverse effects*
-
Ethylmaleimide / administration & dosage
-
Ethylmaleimide / pharmacology
-
Indomethacin / administration & dosage
-
Indomethacin / pharmacology
-
Lactones / administration & dosage*
-
Lactones / chemistry
-
Lactones / pharmacology
-
Mice
-
Molecular Structure
-
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / administration & dosage
-
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / pharmacology
-
Nitric Oxide / metabolism
-
Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
-
Plant Extracts / chemistry
-
Plant Extracts / pharmacology
-
Prostaglandins / metabolism
-
Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane / administration & dosage*
-
Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane / chemistry
-
Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane / pharmacology
-
Stomach Ulcer / chemically induced
-
Stomach Ulcer / metabolism
-
Stomach Ulcer / prevention & control*
-
Sulfhydryl Compounds / metabolism
Substances
-
Lactones
-
Plant Extracts
-
Prostaglandins
-
Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane
-
Sulfhydryl Compounds
-
Nitric Oxide
-
Ethanol
-
Ethylmaleimide
-
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
-
Indomethacin