Geraniol—a flavoring agent with multifunctional effects in protecting the gastric and duodenal mucosa

• Published in: Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology Vol. 387; no. 4; pp. 355 - 365
• Main Authors: de Carvalho, Katharinne Ingrid Moraes, Bonamin, Flavia, dos Santos, Raquel Cássia, Périco, Larissa Lucena, Beserra, Fernando Pereira, de Sousa, Damião Pergentino, Filho, José Maria Barbosa, da Rocha, Lucia Regina Machado, Hiruma-Lima, Clelia Akiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Ulcer Agents - therapeutic use; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cysteamine; Duodenal Ulcer - drug therapy; Duodenal Ulcer - etiology; Duodenal Ulcer - pathology; Duodenum - drug effects; Duodenum - pathology; Ethanol; Flavoring Agents - pharmacology; Flavoring Agents - therapeutic use; Glutathione - metabolism; Male; Mucus - metabolism; Neurosciences; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Original Article; Peroxidase - metabolism; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pylorus - surgery; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury; Stomach - drug effects; Stomach - metabolism; Stomach - pathology; Stomach Ulcer - chemically induced; Stomach Ulcer - drug therapy; Stomach Ulcer - metabolism; Stomach Ulcer - pathology; Terpenes - pharmacology; Terpenes - therapeutic use; Monoterpene; Duodenal ulcer; Gastric ulcer; Multifunctional effects; Geraniol
• ISSN: 0028-1298; 1432-1912
• DOI: 10.1007/s00210-013-0947-z

Geraniol is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol commonly used as a flavoring agent. The present study was undertaken to investigate antiulcerogenic effects of geraniol and to determine the possible mechanisms involved in this action. In the model of the ethanol-induced ulcer, treatment of rats with geraniol by oral route significantly inhibited gastric lesions by 70 % (7.50 mg/kg) to 99 % (200 mg/kg). Analysis of the gastric tissue of rats treated with geraniol (7.50 mg/kg) revealed that total glutathione content levels (GSH) increased and levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) decreased in the gastric mucosa. Oral treatment with geraniol significantly decreased the number of ulcerative lesions induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury by 71 % and the duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine by 68 %. The action of geraniol was mediated by the activation of defensive mucosa-protective factors such as the nitric oxide (NO) pathway, endogenous prostaglandins, increased mucus production, increased sulfhydryl compounds, antioxidant properties and the stimulation of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release through the activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV). The multifaceted gastroprotective mechanisms of geraniol represent a promising option for the treatment of gastric and duodenal mucosa injury.