title: Terminalia catappa L.: a medicinal plant from the Caribbean pharmacopeia with anti-Helicobacter pylori and antiulcer action in experimental rodent models.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Terminalia catappa L. (Combretaceae) is a medicinal plant listed as a pharmacopeia vegetable from Caribbean to treat gastritis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gastroprotective and healing effect of the aqueous fraction (FrAq) obtained from the leaves of Terminalia catappa and to determine the antiulcer mechanism of action in experimental rodent models and its activity to Helicobacter pylori.
  
  
  METHODS
  In rodents, the FrAq was challenged by different necrotizing agents, such as absolute ethanol and ischemia-reperfusion injury. The antiulcer mechanism of action of FrAq was assessed and the healing effects of the fraction after seven and 14 days of treatment was evaluated by matrix metalloproteinase activity (MMP-2 and MMP-9). The toxicological effect of subacute treatment with FrAq during 14 days of treatment was also analyzed. The anti-Helicobacter pylori activity was determined by microdilution. The phytochemical study of the fraction was analyzed by experiments with FIA-ESI-IT-MS(n) (Direct Flow Analysis-ionization Electrospray Ion Trap Tandem Mass Spectrometry) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to a photodiode array (PDA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral treatment with FrAq (25mg/kg) significantly decreased the number of ulcerative lesions induced by ethanol and ischemia/reperfusion injury. The action of FrAq was mediated by the activation of defensive mucosa-protective factors, such as increases in mucus production, the nitric oxide (NO) pathway and endogenous prostaglandins. Oral treatment with FrAq for seven and 14 days significantly reduced the lesion area (80% and 37%, respectively) compared to the negative control group. Analyses of MMP-9 and MMP-2 activity from gastric mucosa confirmed the accelerated gastric healing effect of FrAq. This extract also presented considerable activity against Helicobacter pylori. The mass spectrum and MS/MS of the aqueous fraction indicates the existence of many different phenolic compounds, including punicalagin, punicalin, and gallagic acid, among others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that FrAq from Terminalia catappa leaves has excellent preventive and curative effects on acute and chronic induced gastric ulcers and showed an important profile against Helicobacter pylori.
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laísa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinheiro Silva
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Célio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Damacena de Angelis
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonamin
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hélio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kushima
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, CEP 14800-900, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: José Mininel
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, CEP 14800-900, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campaner Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karina Delella
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luis Felisbino
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista, CEP 11330-900 São Vicente, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vilegas
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Regina Machado da Rocha
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, CEP 14801-902, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Matheus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aparecido Dos Santos Ramos
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, CEP 14801-902, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tais
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maria Bauab
authors.affiliation: Universidade Santa Cecília - Pós-Graduação em Sustentabilidade de Ecossistemas Costeiros e Marinhos, Rua Oswaldo Cruz, 266, Boqueirão, CEP 11045907 Santos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: walbertoma@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Walber
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Toma
authors.affiliation: Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP - Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, CEP 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: hiruma@ibb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Clelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akiko Hiruma-Lima
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017691:Caribbean Region; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000378:metabolism; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D029766:Terminalia
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Combretaceae; Gastric healing action; Helicobacter pylori; MMP-2; MMP-9; Terminalia catappa L.