Gastroprotective effect of the traditional herbal medicine, Sipjeondaebo-tang water extract, against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury

BACKGROUND: Sipjeondaebo-tang, a traditional herbal medicine, has been reported to activate the immune response. Although, most research has focused on its anticancer activity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Sipjeondaebo-tang exerts antioxidant activity against ethanol-induced gastric injury. METHODS: Gastric mucosal injury was induced by the oral administration of absolute ethanol at 5 mL/kg to rats after 18 h fast. Sipjeondaebo-tang water extract (SDTW; 200 mg/kg of body weight) was administered to rats 2 h before the oral administration of absolute ethanol. Gastric mucosal injury was evaluated by measuring the gastric injury, such as extent of lesions, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, glutathione (GSH) content and activities of antioxidant enzymes including catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase in stomach tissue. RESULTS: Oral administration of SDTW markedly decreased the damage by conditioning the gastric mucosa such as hemorrhage, hyperemia. Pretreatment with SDTW significantly reduced MDA concentration and significantly increased GSH content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes. In an acute toxicity study, no adverse effects of SDTW were observed at doses up to 5000 mg/kg/day. CONCLUSIONS: SDTW may protect the gastric mucosa against ethanol-induced gastric mucosa injury. These results suggested that SDTW might also play an important role in the gastroprotection based on their antioxidant effect.