Cytoprotective Effects of Eupatilin, a novel antioxidative flavone, in oxidative stress-induced gastric mucosal cell damage

Abstract

Backgrounds; Alcohol, Helicobacter pylori, stress and NSAIDs-activated neutrophils all produce reactive oxygen species(ROS), which play an important role in gastric mucosal damage. Eupatilin is an active component of Artemisia asiatica possessing cytoprotective effect. Aim; The effect of eupatilin on the production of ROS and cellular damage in AGS and ECV304 cells were evaluated to prove its cytoprotective action against the above mentioned factors in gastric mucosal cell damage. Methods; In this study, cell damages were induced by H2O2 treatment in vitro. The changes of ROS including superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide were measured in the presence of eupatilin. Released lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), an index of cellular damage, was investigated. Results; Eupatilin(150uM) reduced LDH leakage in AGS cells, and siginificantly inhibited ROS production in ECV304 cells in a dose-dependent manner. A 200 uM of eupatilin inhibited ROS production by 94.7%. The activity of glutathione peroxidase siginificantly increased to 6 times that of control after the treatment of eupatilin (150uM). Confocal microscopy revealed that eupatilin directly decreased ROS production in ECV304 cells exposed to 5uM H2DCFDA and 200 uM arachidonic acid and prevented the influx of calcium within cells, signifying the definite role of eupatilin on the cytoprotective actions in gastric mucosal cell damage. Conclusions; Eupatilin exerts cytoprotective effect through reduction in ROS generation and the activation of antioxidative system.