Protective effects of esomeprazole, curcumin, chitosan, and curcumin-chitosan mixture on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injuries in female rats

Abstract

Gastric ulcer is the most common health concern due to alcohol consumption, smoking, and physiological stress. An ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in an animal model resembles the pathophysiology of the human ulcer. The present study attempted to detect the protective effects of esomeprazole, curcumin, chitosan, and a mixture of curcumin and chitosan on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in female rats. The present study included 60 rats with an average weight between 179.1 and 180.3 g, divided into two control groups and four treated groups (esomeprazole, curcumin, chi¬tosan, and mixture), where each group included 10 rats. All groups were treated for 30 days. In order to induce a gastric ulcer, absolute ethanol (2 mL/rat) was given orally to all groups (except the negative control ones) after a period of fasting of 20 h. All animals were sacrificed 5 h later. The gastric ulceration was studied by comparing the volume and the pH of the gastric juice, the ulcer index as well as the protective index. Our results revealed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the values of the ulcer index and the volume of gastric juice in the esomeprazole-, curcumin-, chitosan-, and mixture-treated rats as compared to those of the positive control group. The value of the gastric juice pH exhibited a significant increase (P<0.05) in these same groups.