Ulcer Healing Effects of Vitamin E on Chronic Gastric Ulcer Induced by Alcohol in Young Adult Rats

This study was carried out to examine the effects of vitamin E on chronic gastric ulcer induced by alcohol treatment in rats. Chronic gastric ulcer model was established by oral administration of 70% ethanol at one time and supply of 15% ethanol for additional 7 days. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, approximately 200 g, were fasted for 24 hours and orally gavaged with 1 mL of 70% ethanol for the induction of acute ulcer. A supply of 15% ethanol dissolved in distilled water for 7 days were followed to maintain chronic gastric ulcer. Acute ulcer group was sacrificed at 3 hours after oral administration of 1 mL of 70% ethanol. Chronic groups were divided into three groups according to vitamin E levels; low-vitamin E (LVE, 0 mg/mL oil/day), normalvitamin E (NVE, 1 mg/mL oil/day) and high-vitamin E (HVE, 10 mg/mL oil/day). These groups were fed vitamin E free diets which were made of vitamin E free vitamin mix followed AIN-93M pattern for 7 days. Histological findings of congestion, hemorrhage and necrosis in gastric tissue were shown severely in acute ulcer group and LVE group of chronic ulcer groups. The concentration of gastrin in serum was significantly higher in LVE group. The content of histamine in stomach was lower in acute ulcer group but there was no significant difference among the chronic groups regardless of vitamin E levels. Content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in gastric tissue was higher in HVE group and activities of antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase, were lower in HVE group. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities as a marker of neutrophils infiltration was significantly higher in LVE group. These results suggested that vitamin E supplementation has positive effects on healing of alcohol-induced chronic gastric ulcer through alleviation of gastric tissue injuries and reduction of the MPO activity in gastric tissue and gastrin in serum.