Gastroprotective Effects of Sulphated Polysaccharides from the Alga Caulerpa mexicana Reducing Ethanol-Induced Gastric Damage.

José Carneiro,Manuela Carneiro,Annyta Frota,Dainesy Martins,Norma Benevides,Ana Quinderé,Ticiana Holanda,Rayane Sousa,Vitória Soares,Antoniella Gomes Duarte

doi:10.3390/ph11010006

José Carneiro, Manuela Carneiro + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ph11010006

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Abstract

The development of the gastric lesion is complex and the result of the imbalance between aggressive and protective factors, involving the generation of free radicals and disturbance in nitric oxide (NO) production. Sulphated polysaccharides (SP), from marine algae, are widely used in biotechnological and pharmaceutical areas. In this study, we evaluated the effects of SP from the green marine alga Caulerpa mexicana (Cm-SP) in ethanol-induced gastric damage models in mice. Cm-SP (2, 20, or 200 mg/kg), administered p.o., significantly reduced gastric damage, and these effects were inhibited through pretreatment with indomethacin. Cm-SP (200 mg/kg) prevented the ethanol-induced decline in glutathione and restored its normal level. Moreover, it was able to normalize the elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels. However, Cm-SP did not show any significant effects on NO2/NO3 level, when compared to the ethanol group. The pretreatment with L- NAME induced gastric mucosal damage and did not inhibit the gastroprotective effect of Cm-SP (200 mg/kg). In conclusion, the gastroprotective effects of Cm-SP in mice involve prostaglandins and reduction in the oxidative stress and are independent of NO.

Highlights

Gastrointestinal diseases are an important public health problem affecting many people worldwide
The gastric mucosa is continuously exposed to noxious agents and the maintenance of its integrity is ensured by a complex defense system, involving mucus and bicarbonate secretions, modulation of pH, gastric microcirculation, antioxidant factors, PG generation, nitric oxide (NO) and H2S release, and HO-1 pathway induction [5,6,20,21,22]
Our research group showed that Sulfated polysaccharides (SP) enzymatically extracted from the green alga C. mexicana, characterized as a mixture rich in sulphated galactan, have presented interesting anti-inflammatory actions with involvement the HO-1 pathway, reduced oedema that is caused by histamine, and inhibited inflammatory cell infiltrate [18]

Summary

Introduction

Gastrointestinal diseases are an important public health problem affecting many people worldwide. Nutritional disorders, alcohol consumption, prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), and glucocorticoids are followed by gastric complications, including stomach ulcers [1,2,3,4]. Their development is complex and the result of the imbalance between aggressive and protective factors, involving the generation of free radicals and disturbance in nitric oxide (NO) production [5,6,7]. The discovery of new bioactive compounds with potential pharmaceutical activity, presenting minimal adverse effects, is of great importance. Our group has demonstrated various biological activities of SP, such as anticoagulant [12], antithrombotic [13], neuroprotective [14], antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory [15,16,17,18]

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