Purpose
To investigate the efficacy of cordycepin, an adenosine analogue, on
prevention of esophageal damage and stricture formation due to esophageal
caustic burns in rat model comparing with prednisolone.
Methods
Caustic esophageal burn was introduced by 37.5% of NaOH to distal esophagus.
Thirty-two Wistar albino rats were divided in four groups: sham rats
undergone laparotomy, treated with 0.9% NaCl; control rats injured with NaOH
without cordycepin treatment; cordycepin group injured with NaOH, treated
with 20 mg/kg cordycepin; prednisolone group injured with NaOH, treated with
1 mg/kg prednisolone for 28 days. Efficacy was assessed by histopathological
and immunohistochemical analysis of esophageal tissues.
Results
Cordycepin treatment significantly decreased inflammation, granulation tissue
and fibrous tissue formation and prevented formation of esophageal
strictures shown by histopathological damage score and stenosis indexes
compared to control group (p < 0.01). These effects are relatively more
substantial than prednisolone, probably based on attenuation of elevation of
proinflammatory cytokines hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1?), tumor
necrosis factor alpha (TNF-?), proliferative and fibrotic factor fibroblast
growth factor 2 (FGF2) and angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth
factor A (VEGFA) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
The findings suggest that cordycepin has a complex multifactorial healing
process in alkali-burned tissue, more successful than prednisolone in
preventing the formation of esophageal strictures and may be used as a
therapeutic agent in the acute phase of esophageal alkali-burn.