Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated acid protects against indomethacin-induced gastric injury

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 697; no. 1-3; pp. 139 - 143
• Main Authors: Pineda-Peña, Elizabeth Arlen, Jiménez-Andrade, Juan Miguel, Castañeda-Hernández, Gilberto, Chávez-Piña, Aracely Evangelina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.12.2012
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animal models; Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Ulcer Agents - pharmacology; Cytoprotection; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Docosahexaenoic Acids - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fish oils; Gastric injury; Indomethacin; Injuries; Leukotriene B4; Leukotriene B4 - metabolism; Omeprazole - pharmacology; Oral administration; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Prostaglandin E2; prostaglandins; proton pump; Proton Pump Inhibitors - pharmacology; Protons; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stomach - drug effects; Stomach - metabolism; Stomach - pathology; Stomach Ulcer - chemically induced; Stomach Ulcer - metabolism; Stomach Ulcer - pathology; Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control; Time Factors; Docosahexaenoic acid; Gastric injury; Indomethacin
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2012.09.049

Previous studies have shown gastroprotective effect of fish oil in several experimental models. However, the mechanisms and active compounds underlying this effect are not fully understood. Fish oil has several components; among them, one of the most studied is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is an omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid. The aim of this study was to examine the gastroprotective effect of DHA as a pure compound in a rat model of indomethacin-induced gastric injury as well as elucidate some of the mechanism(s) behind DHA's gastroprotective effect. Indomethacin was orally administered to induce an acute gastric injury (3, 10 and 30mg/kg). Omeprazol (a proton pump inhibitor, 30mg/kg, p.o.) and DHA (3, 10, 30mg/kg, p.o.) were gavaged 30 and 120min, respectively, before indomethacin insult (30mg/kg p.o.). Three hours after indomethacin administration, rats were sacrificed, gastric injury was evaluated by determining the total damaged area. A sample of gastric tissue was harvested and processed to quantify prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Indomethacin produced gastric injury in dose-dependent manner. DHA protected against indomethacin-induced gastric damage, and this effect was comparable with omeprazol’s gastroprotective effect. DHA did not reverse the indomethacin-induced reduction of PGE2 gastric levels. In contrast, DHA partially prevented the indomethacin-induced increase in LTB4 gastric levels. This is the first report demonstrating DHA’s gastroprotective effect as a pure compound. Furthermore, the results reveal that the gastroprotective effect is mediated by a decrease in gastric LTB4 levels in indomethacin-induced gastric damage.