title: Beneficial effects of Ankaferd Blood Stopper on caustic esophageal injuries: an experimental model.
abstract: Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) is an herbal extract that enhances mucosal healing. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of ABS on the healing of the esophagus and prevention of stricture development after esophageal caustic injuries in rats. The study included 50 rats. Rats were divided into five groups: group 1 (no injury, sham surgery), group 2 (injury + no ABS + study after 2 weeks of injury), group 3 (injury + ABS + study after 2 weeks of injury), group 4 (injury + no ABS + study after 4 weeks of injury), and group 5 (injury + ABS + study after 4 weeks of injury). Standard esophageal burn injury was created by applying 50% NaOH solution to distal esophagus of about 1.5 cm. To rats in the sham group, isotonic solution was given instead of NaOH. ABS (2 mL/day) was given via oral route to group 3 and 5 rats. Fourteen days (group 2 and 3) and 28 days (group 4 and 5) later, all the live rats were killed. The distal esophageal segments of all rats were removed and divided into two equal parts for biochemical and histopathological examination. Mortality rate, weight changes, inflammation, stenosis index (SI), and biochemical measurements were evaluated. The SI was found as 0.31 ± 0.03 in group 1, 0.533 ± 0.240 in group 2, 0.568 ± 0.371 in group 3, 0.523 ± 0.164 in group 4, and 0.28 ± 0.03 in group 5. The SI and inflammation in ABS-treatment group 5 was significantly lower than that in non-treatment group 4 (P= 0.005). There were no significant differences between inflammation and SI among other groups. The mortality rate was 14.2% in group 1, 37.5% in untreated group 2, 14.2% in ABS-treated group 3, 80% in untreated group 4, and 33.3% in ABS-treated group 5. The mortality rate in group 4 was significantly higher than other groups (P= 0.025). Decrease rates in mean body weights of the groups were as follows: group 1, 1%; group 2, 15%; group 3, 14%; group 4, 46%; and group 5, 15%. Biochemical tests other than albumin and creatinine were comparable among the groups. Treatment with ABS prevents inflammation, scar formation, weight loss, and mortality in esophageal caustic injuries. Additional studies to evaluate the clinical benefits of ABS in esophageal caustic injury are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ankara Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. drerdemakbal@gmail.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akbal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köklü
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Astarci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taş
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beyazit
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Topcu
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Haznedaroğlu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002424:Caustics / Q000633:toxicity; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015431:Weight Loss; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012709:Serum Albumin; C539751:ankaferd blood stopper; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D003404:Creatinine