Gastro-protective effect of Artemisia Sieberi essential oil against ethanol-induced ulcer in rats as revealed via biochemical, histopathological and metabolomics analysis

Abstract

Context

Gastric ulcer is regarded as one of the main clinical ailments with high morbidity and mortality rates.

Materials and methods

Gastro-protective effect of Artemisia sieberi essential oil (AS-EO) in ethanol-induced rats was evaluated via biochemical, histopathological and large-scale metabolomics analyses. Glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), prostaglandin (PGE2) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) alongside with histopathological examination of gastric mucosa were analysed. Metabolites profiling coupled to Global Natural Products Social molecular networking platform (GNPS) and multivariate data analyses to reveal for changes in rats metabolome with treatments and involved action mechanisms.

Results

Pre-treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg of AS-EO in EtOH-treated rats restored all parameters towards normal status compared to disease model. AS-EO alleviated the histological and pathological damage of gastric tissue caused by ethanol. Metabolites profiling revealed an increase in uracil, cholesterol and fatty acids/fatty acyl amides levels in ulcer rats and restored to normal levels post AS-EO intervention. These results indicated the efficacy of AS-EO in a dose-dependent manner, and to exert protective effects in ulcer rat model by targeting several metabolic pathways viz. lipid, energy, and nucleotide metabolisms.

Conclusion

AS-EO adds to the known uses of genus Artemisia as anti-ulcerogenic agent by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses associated with an ulcer. Several novel biomarkers for ulcer progression in rats were identified and have yet to be confirmed in human models.

Keywords:

• Gastric ulcer
• Artemisia sieberi
• essential oil
• metabolomics
• molecular networking analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Research Centre, the American University in Cairo and Sadat City University, Egypt for the research support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data in this manuscript is available to any reader upon acceptance.