Purpose: Transforming growth factor (TGF) alpha accelerates wound healing, especially in gastric ulcers. Transforming growth factor alpha can be affected by acid and pepsin in the gastric juice. Oxidative stress also plays a role in the formation of gastric lesions. This study was designed (1) to investigate the effects of microemulsion dosage form on the healing of gastric ulcers, and (2) to determine the relationship between oxidative mechanisms and TGF-alpha during ulcer healing.
Methods: Gastric ulcers were induced in Wistar rats (male, 200 +/- 25 g), by 150 mg/kg acidified aspirin application. The animals were divided into five groups consisting of 7-11 animals. The rats were killed after ulcer induction with aspirin (acute ulcer), or 2 days after ulcer induction (chronic ulcer), or after the daily application of microemulsion and TGF-alpha for 2 days. The ulcer area was measured planimetrically. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, glutathione, and gastric mucus levels of tissues were measured by spectrophotometric methods. The total nitric oxide level was measured by a VCl3/Griess assay. Statistical comparisons were made by an analysis of variance and the Mann-Whitney U-test.
Results: The ulcer area and malondialdehyde level of gastric tissue both decreased and the glutathione level increased to intact gastric tissue levels, while the mucus and total nitric oxide levels increased significantly after the application of intragastric TGF-alpha.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that TGF-alpha accelerates the healing process after aspirin-induced gastric injury, and a relationship was observed between this application and the oxidative reactions.