Original Articles: 2014 Vol: 6 Issue: 10
Inhibition of hyperhomocysteinemia in Indomethacin induced peptic ulcer: Impact of pomegranate juice supplementation
Abstract
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD), is the most common ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract. Several investigations have confirmed the role of oxidative stress in developmental peptic ulcers, possibly via the formation of free radicals. Antioxidant therapies may be useful in decreasing the risk of peptic ulcers, several natural products have been reported to poses anti-ulcerogenic activity by virtue of their predominant effects on mucosal defensive factors including apple, pomegranate, bananas, and brindle berry which acts as an antioxidant, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and scavenging free radicals. This study aimed to identify the effect of pomegranate juice on gastric ulcers induced by indomethacin in rats and exhibits its powerful antioxidant properties. Forty male albino rats were used in this study, divided into four groups (control, pomegranate, peptic ulcer and treated groups). Liver and kidney function test, stomach malondialdehyde (MDA) as oxidant marker and superoxidedismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as antioxidant markers were estimated. Tissue IL-1α and TNF-α as markers of inflammation were estimated. Also serum homocysteine was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The data showed that indomethacin in peptic ulcer group significantly increased stomach MDA, IL-1α, TNF-α and serum homocysteine concomitant with a reduction in SOD and TAC. Contrarily, pomegranate supplemantion improved these values in treated group. In conclusion, pomegranate seems to be a highly promising compound in protecting the peptic ulcer rats against oxidative damage and preventing inflammation represented in elevation of homocyteine.