Thymohexin exhibits cytoprotective effect in experimental gastric lesions in rats both through the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase and reduction of oxidative mucosal damage

• Published in: Regulatory peptides 2013-01, Vol.180, p.50-57
• Main Authors: Nasadyuk, C., Sklyarov, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aminoguanidine; Animals; Gastric lesions; Gastric Mucosa - drug effects; Gastric Mucosa - enzymology; Gastric Mucosa - metabolism; l-Arginine; Lipoperoxidation processes; Male; Nitric oxide synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - antagonists & inhibitors; Oligopeptides - pharmacology; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Short peptides; Stomach Ulcer - enzymology; Stomach Ulcer - metabolism; Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0167-0115; 1873-1686
• DOI: 10.1016/j.regpep.2012.11.004

Some short peptides have recently been reported to exhibit gastroprotective properties but the role of NO-synthase system in these mechanisms still leaves much to be elucidated. That is why the purpose of our study was to explore the gastroprotective effect of the hexapeptide Arg–α-Asp–Lys–Val–Tyr–Arg (thymohexin) under conditions of the modeling of iNOS activity. The studies were performed on 80 outbred male rats. Gastric lesions were induced with epinephrine (2mg/kg) or indomethacin (30mg/kg). Fifteen minutes before the exposure to ulcerogens rats were pretreated with thymohexin alone and combined with l-arginine or aminoguanidine. Twenty-four hours later gastric mucosa damage, l-arginine/NOS/NO system, processes of lipoperoxidation, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity were assessed. Thymohexin markedly attenuated both epinephrine- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration in rats, decreasing the area and score of mucosal lesions (p