Gastroprotection of (-)-alpha-bisabolol on acute gastric mucosal lesions in mice: the possible involved pharmacological mechanisms

Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Feb;24(1):63-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-8206.2009.00726.x. Epub 2009 Jul 3.

Abstract

(-)-Alpha-Bisabolol is an unsaturated, optically active sesquiterpene alcohol obtained by the direct distillation essential oil from plants such as Vanillosmopsis erythropappa and Matricaria chamomilla. (-)-Alpha-Bisabolol has generated considerable economic interest, since it possesses a delicate floral odor and has been shown to have anti-septic and anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the gastroprotective action of (-)-alpha-bisabolol on ethanol and indomethacin-induced ulcer models in mice, and further investigate the pharmacological mechanisms involved in this action. The oral administration of (-)-alpha-bisabolol 100 and 200 mg/kg was able to protect the gastric mucosa from ethanol (0.2 mL/animal p.o.) and indomethacin-induced ulcer (20 mg/kg p.o.). Administration of L-NAME (10 mg/kg i.p.), glibenclamide (10 mg/kg i.p.) or indomethacin (10 mg/kg p.o.) was not able to revert the gastroprotection promoted by (-)-alpha-bisabolol 200 mg/kg on the ethanol-induced ulcer. Dosage of gastric reduced glutathione (GSH) levels showed that ethanol and indomethacin reduced the content of non-protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) groups, while (-)-alpha-bisabolol significantly decreased the reduction of these levels on ulcer-induced mice, but not in mice without ulcer. In conclusion, gastroprotective effect on ethanol and indomethacin-induced ulcer promoted by (-)-alpha-bisabolol may be associated with an increase of gastric sulfydryl groups bioavailability leading to a reduction of gastric oxidative injury induced by ethanol and indomethacin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Ulcer Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Ulcer Agents / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Ethanol / toxicity
  • Gastric Mucosa / drug effects*
  • Gastric Mucosa / pathology
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Indomethacin / toxicity
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Models, Animal
  • Monocyclic Sesquiterpenes
  • Peptic Ulcer / pathology
  • Peptic Ulcer / prevention & control*
  • Sesquiterpenes / administration & dosage
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Ulcer Agents
  • Monocyclic Sesquiterpenes
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • bisabolol
  • Ethanol
  • Glutathione
  • Indomethacin