Gastroprotective effect of b-LupeoL: roLe of prostaGLandins, suLfhydryLs and nitric oxide (original) (raw)

This investigation evaluated the gastroprotective effect of β-lupeol, isolated from Pseudobombax ellipticum. Gastric mucosal damage was induced in rats by intragastric ethanol (1mL/rat). Rats treated orally with β-lupeol suspended in Tween 80 at 3, 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, showed 21, 60, 79 and 77 % gastroprotection respectively. The gastroprotection observed at 30 mg/kg for this compound was reverted in rats pretreated with indomethacin (10 mg/kg. s.c.) or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM 10 mg/kg, s.c.), suggesting that the gastroprotective mechanism of this triterpene involves, at least in part, the participation of prostaglandins and endogenous sulfhydryls. The gastroprotective effect of β-lupeol was not affected by the pretreatment with L-NAME (70 mg/kg, i.p.), a nitric oxide (NO)-synthase inhibitor. Carbenoxolone was used as gastroprotective model drug and showed dose dependent gastroprotective effect (26, 44 and 88% of gastroprotection, at 1, 10 and 30 mg/kg, respectively). The participation of prostaglandins, sulfhydryls and nitric oxide was observed in the gastroprotective mechanism of carbenoxolone.