title: Ghrelin accelerates the healing of cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcers in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown that administration of ghrelin exhibits protective and therapeutic effects in the gut. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the influence of ghrelin administration on the course of cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcers, as well as effects on mucosal production of oxygen free radicals and duodenal antioxidant defense.
  
  
  METHODS
  Duodenal ulcers were induced in male Wistar rats by cysteamine administered intragastrically at the dose of 200 mg/kg in 1 ml of saline, 3 times at 4-h intervals. Starting 24 h after the first dose of cysteamine, rats were treated intraperitoneally twice a day with saline or ghrelin given at the dose of 4, 8 or 16 nmol/kg/dose. Seven days after administration of the first dose of cysteamine, the study was terminated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Induction of ulcers by cysteamine was accompanied by a reduction in duodenal blood flow, mucosal DNA synthesis and mucosal activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD); whereas mucosal concentration of interleukin-1β and malonyldialdehyde (MDA - an index of lipid peroxidation) were increased. Treatment with ghrelin increased healing rate of duodenal ulcers and enhanced duodenal blood flow, mucosal DNA synthesis and mucosal activity of SOD, and reduced mucosal concentration of interleukin-1β and MDA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with ghrelin increases the healing rate of duodenal ulcers and this effect is related, at least in part, to improvement of duodenal mucosal blood flow, mucosal cell proliferation and antioxidant defense, as well as being related to reduction in mucosal oxidative stress and inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Zygmunt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Warzecha
authors.forename: Dagmara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ceranowicz
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dembiński
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ceranowicz
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cieszkowski
authors.forename: Atsukazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dembiński
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Konturek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003543:Cysteamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D003543:Cysteamine