The protective effects and potential mechanisms of fulvic acid against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in mice

Abstract

Fulvic acid (FA) is a kind of natural organic acids extracted from lignite, which is the active ingredient in Wujin oral liquid, a proprietary Chinese medicine used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of FA remains limited. Currently, the protection of FA and its mechanism were explored using the ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury mouse model. The histopathological examinations showed FAs at three doses effectively reduced gastric congestion, oedema caused by ethanol, and prevented gastric epithelial cell fall-off. When compared to the model group, FAs reduced IL-1β and IL-6 levels in serum, as well as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2 expression levels in tissue. Furthermore, FAs significantly inhibited p65, P38 MAPK, and Erk1/2 phosphorylation in damaged gastric tissue. It was indicated FA has good protection against ethanol-induced gastric mucosa injuries in mice and this effect was related to NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways.