Context: Amauroderma rugosum (Blume & T. Nees) Torrend (Ganodermataceae) is an edible mushroom with medicinal properties. However, the effects of A. rugosum on gastric ulcer remain unclear.
Objective: To investigate the gastroprotective efficacy of water extract of A. rugosum (WEA) on gastric ulcer.
Materials and methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly grouped as control, model, lansoprazole and 200, 100 and 50 mg/kg of WEA. After pre-treatment for seven days, ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer models were established. The gastric ulcer and histopathology were investigated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) and Western blot assays were conducted to explore the potential anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of WEA. Additionally, the pyloric ligation model was used to explore the influence of WEA on gastric acid and mucus.
Results: Pre-treatment with WEA (200, 100 and 50 mg/kg) effectively reduced ulcerous area in both ethanol-induced (71%, 88% and 71%) and indomethacin-induced (77%, 65% and 86%) gastric ulcer model. The gastric levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (34% and 50 mg/kg), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (32% and 100 mg/kg) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (36%, 45% and 41%) were reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by WEA. Serum nitric oxide was decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at 200 and 50 mg/kg and PGE2 concentration was increased remarkably (p < 0.05) at 100 mg/kg. Gene expression of inflammasome Nlrp3, and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) P65 were significantly decreased by WEA pre-treatment. However, the pH of gastric acid and secretion of mucus did not show any significant change.
Conclusions: The gastroprotective effect of WEA on gastric damage is attributed to anti-inflammation through the inhibition on NF-κB P65 nuclear migration and Nlrp3 gene expression.
Keywords: NF-κB/NLRP3; Stomach; Traditional Chinese Medicine; anti-inflammatory.