Efficacy of a whey protein concentrate on the inhibition of stomach ulcerative lesions caused by ethanol ingestion

• Published in: Journal of medicinal food Vol. 5; no. 4; p. 221
• Main Authors: Rosaneli, C F, Bighetti, A E, Antônio, M A, Carvalho, J E, Sgarbieri, V C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2002
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents - antagonists & inhibitors; Buthionine Sulfoximine - pharmacology; Carbenoxolone - antagonists & inhibitors; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Ethanol - toxicity; Gastric Mucosa - drug effects; Gastric Mucosa - pathology; Glutathione - metabolism; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; Milk Proteins - chemistry; Milk Proteins - pharmacology; Milk Proteins - therapeutic use; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stomach Ulcer - chemically induced; Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control; Sulfhydryl Compounds - chemistry; Sulfhydryl Compounds - pharmacology; Treatment Outcome; Whey Proteins
• ISSN: 1096-620X; 1557-7600
• DOI: 10.1089/109662002763003375

The purpose of this research was to test the ability of a whey protein concentrate (WPC) to inhibit gastric mucosal ulcerative lesions caused by oral administration to rats of absolute ethanol. Acute administration (single doses) of WPC resulted in 41% inhibition of the ulcerative lesion index (ULI), and 73% inhibition was obtained with repetitive doses. In a 10-days subchronic treatment study, the inhibition was 64%, all relative to a saline treatment (negative control). Alkylation of sulfhydryl compounds by subcutaneous injection of N-ethylmaleimide essentially eliminated the WPC protection. Treating the rats with an intraperitoneal injection of butathionine sulfoximine, which inhibits glutathione synthesis, reduced WPC protection to 35% and 52% for single and double doses, respectively. Taken as a whole, the results indicate that WPC does protect gastric mucosa from ethanol damage and that the protection depends on sulfhydryl compounds present in the WPC, including its capacity to stimulate glutathione synthesis.