title: Anti-ulcerogenic effect of Zuojin Pill against ethanol-induced acute gastric lesion in animal models.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zuojin Pill (ZJP), a traditional Chinese medicinal decoction, contains two herbal drugs: Coptis chinensis Franch. and Tetradium ruticarpum (A. Juss.) Hartley in the ratio of 6:1 (w/w). In this study, ZJP was evaluated for its gastroprotective potential against mucosal lesions induced by ethanol in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 mice were assigned to 5 groups: groups 1 and 2 were given distilled water orally. Group 3 was administered omeprazole 20mg/kg, groups 4 and 5 were given ZJP (1g/kg, 2g/kg, respectively). After an additional hour, the mice in groups 2-5 received ethanol (0.2ml/kg) orally while group 1 received distilled water instead. Mice were killed after 4h and their serum and stomachs subjected to further studies. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in serum were assayed by SOD and MDA kits, respectively. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities in stomachs were assayed by MPO kit. The levels of inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in serum were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method (ELISA). Pathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of nuclear factor-кBp65 (NF-кBp65), P-NF-кBp65, P-IкBα, IкBα, P-IKKα, IKKα, P-IKKβ, IKKβ in stomachs were assayed by western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed that treatment with the ZJP markedly attenuated MPO, MDA, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1βand increased SOD; and ZJP also decreased protein levels of P-NF-кBp65, P-IкBα, P-IKKαand P-IKKβin gastric stomachs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that ZJP may represents a potential therapeutic option to reduce the risk of gastric ulceration and the gastroprotective activity of ZJP might contribute in adjusting the inflammatory cytokine by regulating the NF-кB signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: ChangchunUniversity of Chinese Medicine, Changhcun 130117, China.
authors.forename: Tianzhu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Lingpeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: machunhuabest@126.com.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: ChangchunUniversity of Chinese Medicine, Changhcun 130117, China. Electronic address: WangShuminch@126.com.
authors.forename: Shumin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D039323:Coptis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000431:Ethanol; D032086:Evodia; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C545320:zuojin; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Coptis chinensis Franch; Gastric ulcer; NF-кB pathway; Tetradium ruticarpum (A. Juss.) Hartley; Zuojin Pill