A polysaccharide from Aloe vera L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berger prevents damage to human gastric epithelial cells in vitro and to rat gastric mucosa in vivo

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in the aetiology of gastric disorders and are a key pathogenic feature in gastric mucosal injury. Interventions that eliminate ROS are of high clinical value in treating gastric diseases. Here, we demonstrate that APS-F1, a glucogalactomannan polysaccharide from Aloe vera L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berger, protects against oxidative stress-induced gastric mucosal damage. Human gastric epithelial GES-1 cells were treated with APS-F1 before H2O2 exposure. APS-F1 markedly attenuated cell apoptosis and injury; prevented H2O2-induced redox disturbance manifested as increases in intracellular ROS and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level and decreases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity; prevented H2O2-induced an increase in [Ca2+]i and mitochondrial membrane potential disruption, in association with PGC-1α activation, HO-1 induction and suppression of NF-κB expression. In vivo, APS-F1 ameliorated ethanol-induced gastric damage. Our findings provide the first evidence that APS-F1 protects against H2O2-induced gastric injury.

Keywords

• Polysaccharide
• Gastric epithelial cell
• Oxidative stress
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Gastric protection