Protective effect of snail secretion filtrate against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice

Abstract

Gastric ulcer or peptic ulcer is a common disease worldwide. Basically, it develops when there is an imbalance between the protective and aggressive factors, especially at the luminal surface of epithelial cells. Thus, there is a constant interest in research new drugs for treatment of gastric ulcer. The snail secretion is a dense mucous, that covers the external surface of the snails, with important functions for the survival of snails. The biological proprieties of snail Helix Aspersa Muller mucus it has been known for centuries to treat human disorders in particular for skin disease. Recently the use of snail mucus has seen a worldwide increase, as a component in cosmetic product and it has been used in particular for the management of wound and skin disorders. In this study we use a murine model of ethanol intragastric administration which has been widely used to test the drugs efficacies and to explore the underlying mechanism for gastric ulcer development. The intragastric ethanol administration causes several mucosal damages and an induction of a severe inflammatory response. Our results show a significant protective effect of snail secretion filtrate in reducing macroscopic and histological lesions, as well the protective effect on mucus content, oxidative stress and inflammatory response. In conclusion this study demonstrate the protective effect of intragastrical snail secretion filtrate, in a model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice, suggesting its possible useful use in the treatment or prevention of gastric ulcer.

Gastro protecting influence of Topiramate in ethanol produced gastric ulcers in rats

“…Ethanol is used for inducing experimental gastric ulcers in rats either alone [ 19 , 20 ] or in combination with hydrochloric acid (HCL) [ 21 , 22 ]. Ethanol was used for the induction of gastric ulcers as we observed it to be highly effective in producing gastric ulcers in fasted rats [ 7 ], the ulceration was observed in all the animals administered ethanol.…”

The Protective Effect of Snail Secretion Filtrate in an Experimental Model of Excisional Wounds in Mice

“…In a previous study, we tested the protective effect of Snail Secretion Filtrate (SSF) in a mouse model of an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. We also performed a chemical characterization of this substance [ 7 ]. We found that, in addition to its high content of mucopolysaccharide, SSF is characterized by high levels of glycolic acid and collagen, followed by allantoin and elastin, and by the presence of other biological molecules, such as vitamin A, groups B and E, and several minerals, including copper, nickel, and chromium.…”

“…The use of the 0.22-micron filter was necessary to eliminate impurities and endotoxins in order to make the product injectable. The full chemical characterization was previously performed [ 7 ].…”

“…Mucus was obtained manually by stimulating snails with a sterile cotton swab tip and then subjected to a series of filtrations to obtain SSF. In our previous study, we performed a full chemical characterization of SSF and demonstrated its protective effect in a mouse model of an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer [ 7 ]. We found that, in addition to the high content of mucopolysaccharide, SSF is characterized by high levels of glycolic acid and collagen, followed by allantoin and elastin, and by the presence of other biological molecules such as vitamin A, groups B and E, and several minerals, including copper, nickel, and chromium.…”

“…Our previous study showed that the protective effect of SSF in an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in mice is mediated by an increase in the preservation of mucosal mucopolysaccharides and collagen. Oxidative stress and the induced inflammatory response were also reduced [ 7 ].…”