Gastroprotective activity of Jervine alkaloid from Veratrum album on gastric ulcer in rat

Aim: In this study, we investigated how Jervine affected gastric tissue in rats following the development of indomethacin-induced ulcers. Methods: Jervine (JER) 200 mg/kg and JER 400 mg/kg were given orally to the experimental groups 12h after the fasten period. Five minutes later, 25 mg/kg of indomethacin was administered orally to all groups except the healthy and JER 400 mg/kg groups. The experiment was concluded 6 h after the indomethacin. Results: The administration of Jervine at both doses resulted in a significant reduction of the ulcerative area compared to the Indomethacin (INDO). Indomethacin + Jervine 200 mg/kg (INDO + JER + 200 mg/kg) and Indomethacin + Jervine 400 mg/kg (INDO + JER + 400 mg/kg) groups significantly reduced apoptotic cell density compared to INDO group. Biochemically, Jervin decreased the Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) level which increased as a result of indomethacin. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione (GSH) levels, which decreased as a result of indomethacin, were found to increase. Jervine significantly downregulates p53 gene expression compared to the INDO group. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated the therapeutic properties of Jervine on ulcers due to its anti-apoptotic and antioxidant regulatory effects.