Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten) protects against stress-induced acute gastric lesions in rats.
The protective activity of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten) fruit juice and its main constituent, betanin, were evaluated against stress-induced acute gastric lesions in rats. After 6 h of water immersion restraint stress (WIRS), gastric mucosal lesions with bleeding were induced in Sprague-Dawley rats. Pretreatment of a lyophilized powder containing O. ficus indica var. saboten fruit juice and maltodextrin (OFSM) and betanin significantly reduced stress lesions (800-1600 mg/kg). Both OFSM and betanin effectively prevented the decrease in gastric mucus content as detected by alcian blue staining. In addition, OFSM significantly suppressed WIRS-induced increases in the level of gastric mucosal tumor necrosis factor-α and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Betanin alone was only effective in decreasing MPO. These results revealed the protective activity of OFSM against stress-induced acute gastric lesions and that betanin may contribute to OFSM's gastric protective activity, at least in part. When OFSM and betanin were taken together, OFSM exerted gastroprotective activity against stress-induced gastric lesions by maintaining gastric mucus, which might be related to the attenuation of MPO-mediated damage and proinflammatory cytokine production.
College of Pharmacy, Yonsei Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yonsei University, Incheon, Korea.
Seung Hyun
SH
Kim
Byung Ju
BJ
Jeon
Dae Hyun
DH
Kim
Tae Il
TI
Kim
Hee Kyoung
HK
Lee
Dae Seob
DS
Han
Jong-Hwan
JH
Lee
Tae Bum
TB
Kim
Jung Wha
JW
Kim
Sang Hyun
SH
Sung
D000818:Animals; D050859:Betacyanins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001628:Beverages; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D050859:Betacyanins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C020228:betanin; C008315:maltodextrin; D009195:Peroxidase