Alloimperatorin from Ammi majus fruits mitigates Piroxicam-provoked gastric ulcer and hepatorenal toxicity in rats via suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Fruits of Ammi majus, commonly called bishop’s weed, contain a significant amount of furanocoumarins. Alloimperatorin (Allo, 6) was isolated from the free coumarin fraction of fruits, beside 8-hydroxypsoralen (1), methoxsalen (2), heraclin (3), isoimperatorin (4), imperatorin (5), isoheraclenin (7) and heraclenin hydrate (8). Piroxicam (Px) is a widely used pain-relieving drug that demonstrated side effects, including gastric ulceration and hepatorenal toxicity.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the protective potential of Alloimperatorin against Px-induced gastric ulceration and hepatorenal toxicity.

Material & Methods

Rats were divided into four groups: Negative control, Px-induced rats, Allo + Px co-treated group, and Pc + Px co-treated group. Allo (25 mg/kg body weight) and Pc (25 mg/kg body weight) treatments were received 5 days before and 4 days after Px intoxication for 4 days (50 mg/kg body weight). Serum prostaglandin E2 (PG-E2) and liver and kidney functions were measured. Oxidative stress markers were evaluated in the three tissues. Histopathological features and caspase-3 immunoexpression were monitored

Results & Discussion

Px triggered gastric ulceration, increased indices of liver and kidney functions, decreased PG-E2 levels, provoked oxidative stress, and activated caspase-3 immunoexpression. Co-treatment with Allo demonstrated protective activities.

Conclusion

Alloimperatorin exhibited anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities.

KEYWORDS:

• Ammi majus
• Piroxicam
• Alloimperatorin
• gastric ulcer
• hepatorenal toxicity
• prostaglandin E2

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Author contributions

• Howaida Ibrahim Abd-Alla and Kamel H. Shaker: Phytochemical study: Conceptualisation; Data curation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Software; Writing-original draft; Writing-review & editing.

• Ghadha Ibrahim Fouad: Biochemical study: Conceptualisation; Data curation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Software; Writing-original draft; Writing-review & editing.

• Kawkab A. Ahmed: Histopathological and immunohistochemical study: Conceptualisation; Data curation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Software; Writing-original draft; Writing-review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article