Palm vitamin E reduces catecholamines, xanthine oxidase activity and gastric lesions in rats exposed to water-immersion restraint stress.
BACKGROUND
This study examined the effects of Palm vitamin E (PVE) and α-tocopherol (α-TF) supplementations on adrenalin, noradrenalin, xanthine oxidase plus dehydrogenase (XO + XD) activities and gastric lesions in rats exposed to water-immersion restraint stress (WIRS).


METHODS
Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-250 g) were randomly divided into three equal sized groups. The control group was given a normal diet, while the treated groups received the same diet with oral supplementation of PVE or α-TF at 60 mg/kg body weight. After the treatment period of 28 days, each group was further subdivided into two groups with 10 rats without exposing them to stress and the other 10 rats were subjected to WIRS for 3.5 hours. Blood samples were taken to measure the adrenalin and noradrenalin levels. The rats were then sacrificed following which the stomach was excised and opened along the greater curvature and examined for lesions and XO + XD activities.


RESULTS
The rats exposed to WIRS had lesions in their stomach mucosa. Our findings showed that dietary supplementations of PVE and α-TF were able to reduce gastric lesions significantly in comparison to the stressed control group. WIRS increased plasma adrenalin and noradrenalin significantly. PVE and α-TF treatments reduced these parameters significantly compared to the stressed control.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementations with either PVE or α-TF reduce the formation of gastric lesions. Their protective effect was related to their abilities to inhibit stress induced elevation of adrenalin and noradrenalin levels as well as through reduction in xanthine oxidase and dehydrogenase activities.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, UKMMC, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. nurazlina74@yahoo.com
Nur Azlina
NA
Mohd Fahami
Ibrahim Abdelaziz
IA
Ibrahim
Yusof
Y
Kamisah
Nafeeza
N
Mohd Ismail
D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007101:Immersion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002395:Catecholamines; D014810:Vitamin E; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine