Ferulic acid nanoemulsion as a promising anti-ulcer tool: in vitro and in vivo assessment

Abstract

Objective

Ferulic acid (FA) is a promising nutraceutical molecule which exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but it suffers from poor solubility and bioavailability. In the presented study, FA nanoemulsions were prepared to potentiate the therapeutic efficacy of FA in prevention of gastric ulcer.

Methods

FA nanoemulsions were prepared, pharmaceutically characterized, and the selected nanoemusion was tested for its ulcer-ameliorative properties in rats after induction of gastric ulcer using ethanol, by examination of stomach tissues, assessment of serum IL-1β and TNF-α, assessment of nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, glutathione, catalase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance in stomach homogenates, as well as histological and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Results

Results revealed that the selected FA nanoemulsion showed a particle size of 90.43 nm, sustained release of FA for 8 h, and better in vitro anti-inflammatory properties than FA. Moreover, FA nanoemulsion exhibited significantly better anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in vivo, and the gastric tissue treated with FA nanoemulsion was comparable to the normal control upon histological and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that the prepared ferulic acid nanoemulsion is an ideal anti-ulcer system, which is worthy of further investigations.

Graphical abstract

Keywords:

• Ferulic acid
• nanoemulsion
• gastric ulcer
• anti-inflammatory
• antioxidant

Disclosure statement

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was implemented with the support of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA), which draws on financial support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) grant 01DL20003.