Gastroprotection of Calein D against Ethanol-Induced Gastric Lesions in Mice: Role of Prostaglandins, Nitric Oxide and Sulfhydryls

• Main Authors: María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza, Yaraset López-Lorenzo, Leticia Cruz-Antonio, Audifás-Salvador Matus-Meza, Yolanda Sánchez-Mendoza, Jesús Arrieta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-02-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: calein D; gastroprotection; gastric ulcer; <i>Calea urticifolia</i>; sesquiterpene lactones
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/24/3/622

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 <i>Calea urticifolia</i>), 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 &#177; 3.44%, 77.65 &#177; 7.38% and 95.76 &#177; 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 N^G-nitro-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-arginine methyl ester (<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-NAME, 70 mg/kg, ip), indomethacin (10 mg/kg, sc) or <i>N</i>-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.