Atrophic/metaplastic changes of gastric mucosa: a preliminary interventional trial comparing different antioxidant supplements

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the effect of antioxidants on enzymatic abnormalities and free radicals-modified DNA adducts associated with pre-malignant changes in HP-negative chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) patients. 60 patients with CAG and intestinal metaplasia underwent a GI endoscopy with biopsy samples for histology and for: alpha-tocopherol, malonyldialdehyde, xanthine oxidase (XO), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OhdG). Patients were randomly allocated into three groups supplemented for 6 months with: (A) vitamin E, 300 mg/day; (B) Multivitamin, 2 tablets/day and (C) a certified fermented papaya preparation 6 g/nocte (Immune-Age FPP, Osato Research Institute, Gifu, Japan). Ten dyspeptic patients without histological abnormalities served as control. Histological and biochemical parameters were blindly repeated at 3 and 6 months. Plasma oxidant/antioxidant status was normal in all groups. CAG patients had a significantly ( p<0.05 vs. control) increased mucosal level of MDA and XO concentrations which were returned to normal by each of the three supplementations ( p<0.05). All three supplements decreased ODC activity ( p<0.01) but at 6-month observation FPP yielded the most significant effect ( p<0.05 vs. groups A and B) and was the only one achieving a significant drop of 8-OhdG ( p<0.05 vs. baseline and other groups). The present data suggest that antioxidant supplementation, and namely Immune-Age FPP, might be a potential chemopreventive agent in HP-eradicated CAG patients.