Anti-ulcerogenic, Antioxidant and Mucogenic Effects of L-cysteine in Gastric Tissue of Wistar Rats

Aim: To evaluate the effect of L-cysteine pretreatment on indomethacin induced ulceration in male wistar rats.

Study Design: Experimental animal study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Physiology (inflammation and Gastrointestinal secretion unit), College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, between January and July 2017.

Methodology: Fifty male wistar rats were used for this study and were randomly divided into two study groups of twenty-five (25) animals each. The first sub-group was used for the anti-ulcer studies; antioxidant enzymes (SOD and MDA), Nitric oxide (NO), mean ulcer score and gastric blood flow (GBF), while the second sub-group was used for the gastric mucus secretion study. Each sub group was divided into five groups with five animals per group as follows: ulcer control, L-cysteine (100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg), cimetidine (50 mg/kg). Results were analysed using ANOVA and reported as Mean ± SEM. Values were considered significant at P<0.05.

Results: The results of this study showed that L-cysteine (100 mg, 300 mg, and 500 mg respectively) pretreatment significantly reduced mean ulcer score (9.5±1.9; 7.5±1.5; 4.5±0.9) and MDA level (7.2±0.23; 7.49±0.3; 6.54±0.55), and increased SOD activity (10.69±0.1; 10.12±0.29; 14.76±0.07) when compared with the mean ulcer score, MDA and SOD in the ulcer control group (39.5±7.9; 10.62±1.11; 5.02±0.74). Also, NO level (10.8±0.44; 10.37±0.18; 8.41±0.06), gastric mucus secretion (0.92±0.008; 0.94±0.001; 0.99±0.001) and GBF (2.08±0.02; 2.11±0.06; 2.11±0.01) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the L-cysteine pre-treated animals when compared with NO, mucus secretion and GBF in the ulcer control (7.86±0.09; 0.82±0.01).

Conclusion: This study shows that L-cysteine pre-treatment has anti-ulcer potential which might be mediated through increased antioxidant enzymes, increased mucus secretion and enhancing gastric blood flow. This will be of immense advantage in the treatment of peptic ulcer.