Previous studies have shown the gastroprotective activity of Mouriri pusa in which the EC was the main compound of the extract. Polyphenols, which include flavonoids and tannins, are a group of phytochemicals that have been intensely researched and are known to exert beneficial effects on health, including experimental gastroprotective action.Įpicatechin (EC, Figure 1), an isomer of catechin, is a polyphenolic compound present in several plant species. Concurrently, many people in developed countries have begun to turn to complementary or alternative therapies, including medicinal herbs. Although modern medicine may be available in many developing countries, natural medicines have maintained popularity for historical and cultural reasons. The medicinal plants are attractive sources of new biomolecules, particularly in the developing world where infectious diseases are endemic and modern health facilities are not always accessible.
This circumstance evidences the need for new research to discover substances that would effectively heal gastric ulcers with fewer side effects. There are several reasons for the loss of eradication efficacy, but the most important is the increasing rate of H. Standard triple therapy started from eradication rates of more than 90% however, until now it has experienced a steady decline, decreasing to 70–80%. The triple therapy, based on a proton pump inhibitor combined with clarithromycin and amoxicillin and/or metronidazole, has been the established first-line therapy over the past years to eradicate H. pylori infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of active and chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric carcinoma. Additionally, their use does not necessarily prevent the recurrence of the disease. However, the long-term use of these drugs may cause side effects such as hypersensitivity, arrhythmia, impotence, gynecomastia, and hematopoietic disturbances. The current treatment options for patients suffering from gastric ulcers include antacids, sucralfate, prostaglandins, muscarinic antagonists, histamine-2 receptor antagonists, and proton pump inhibitors. Protective factors include the following: an intact mucosal barrier, adequate mucus secretion and blood flow, cellular regeneration, prostaglandin secretion, and epidermal growth factor release. Agents that may initiate the development of an ulcer include the following: acid and pepsin secretion, Helicobacter pylori infection, poor diet, alcohol ingestion, and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The pathophysiology of gastric ulcers is related to the disequilibrium between harmful and protective factors in the gastric mucosa. Gastric ulcers affect thousands of people worldwide and are considered a global health problem. These results demonstrate that EC provides gastroprotection through reinforcement of the mucus barrier and neutralization of gastric juice and this protection occurs through the involvement of SH compounds, -adrenoceptors, NO, SOD, and HSP-70. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the involvement of superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), and heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) in the gastroprotection. Furthermore, oral treatment with EC increased mucus production and decreased H + secretion. The gastroprotection seen upon treatment with EC was significantly decreased in rats pretreated with a SH compound reagent or an -receptor antagonist, but not with a channel blocker. The lowest effective dose of EC providing gastroprotective effects was 50 mg/kg in the ethanol-induced gastric ulcers and 25 mg/kg in the indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers. The involvement of sulfhydryl (SH) groups, channels, adrenoceptors, gastric antisecretory activity, and the amount of mucus in the development of gastric ulcers were investigated. The gastroprotective action of EC was analyzed in gastric ulcers induced by ethanol or indomethacin. This paper aimed to evaluate and characterize the gastroprotective mechanism of action of EC using male rats. Previous studies of the gastroprotective activity of plants have highlighted the importance of the polyphenolic compound epicatechin (EC) in the treatment of gastric ulcers.
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