Melatonin prevents ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage possibly due to its antioxidant effect.
Oxygen radical release has been proposed as a pathogenic factor of the ethanol-induced acute gastric injury. Melatonin, a pineal hormone, is known to scavenge oxygen free radicals. We investigated whether parenteral administration of melatonin prevented ethanol-induced macroscopic damage, polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte infiltration, depletion of total glutathione (tGSH) concentration, and glutathione reductase (GSSG-Rd) activity in the rat gastric mucosa. We compared the effects of melatonin with those of omeprazole. Ethanol-induced mucosal damage was evaluated using three different parameters: gastric total glutathione (tGSH) concentration and glutathione reductase (GSSG-Rd) activity, the number of PMN leukocytes, and macroscopic investigation. Gatric tGSH concentration and GSSG-Rd activity decreased and the number of PMNs increased after ethanol administration. It was found that pretreatment with melatonin increased both tGSH concentration and GSSG-Rd activity. Melatonin also reduced ethanol-induced PMN infiltration in the stomach. Ethanol administration damaged the entire gastric mucosa. Melatonin significantly decreased the extent of ethanol-induced macroscopic injury. In conclusion, these findings support the conclusion that the protection conferred by melatonin in gastric ulcer is presumably due to its antioxidant activity.
Bilici
Dilek
D
Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Süleyman
Halis
H
Banoğlu
Z Nur
ZN
Kiziltunç
Ahmet
A
Avci
Bahattin
B
Ciftçioğlu
Akif
A
Bilici
Sefa
S
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000975:Antioxidants; D000431:Ethanol; D008550:Melatonin