Gastroprotective Effect of Hexanic Extract of <i>Heliotropium indicum</i> Against Ethanol-Induced Gastric Lesions in a CD1 Mouse Model
María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza,
Yaraset López-Lorenzo,
Ximena del Rocío Torres-Morales,
Leticia Cruz-Antonio,
Daniel Arrieta-Baez,
Jazmín García-Machorro,
Jesús Arrieta
Affiliations
María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza
Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Yaraset López-Lorenzo
Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Ximena del Rocío Torres-Morales
Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Leticia Cruz-Antonio
Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Guelatao No. 66, Colonia Ejército de Oriente, Iztapalapa, Mexico City 09230, Mexico
Daniel Arrieta-Baez
Centro de Nanociencias y Micro y Nanotecnologías, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Luis Enrique Erro s/n, Mexico City 07738, Mexico
Jazmín García-Machorro
Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Jesús Arrieta
Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Peptic ulcers result from an imbalance between protective factors (e.g., prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and sulfhydryl groups) and aggressive risk factors (e.g., consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol, or tobacco) regarding the gastric mucosa. While various existing treatments aim to relieve pain, repair the ulcer, and prevent its recurrence, they often produce undesirable side effects. The Heliotropium indicum (H. indicum) plant has been utilized as a traditional medicine due to its gastroprotective activity. In this study, we identified the compounds responsible for the gastroprotective activity of the hexanic extract of H. indicum in an ethanol-induced damage model, in addition to determination of the activities of prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and non-protein sulfhydryl groups, along with the antisecretory and antioxidant activities (i.e., concentration of malondialdehyde and activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase). We found at least two groups of compounds that are responsible for this activity, namely 1-acyl-glycerol components and retinyl β-glucuronide derivatives. In conclusion, a mixture of compounds responsible for the gastroprotective activity of H. indicum was isolated from its hexanic extract, and non-protein sulfhydryl groups were implicated in its mechanism of action.