The effect of low dose aspirin intake on gastro-duodenal mucosa, and protective effects of GSH-vitamin C-E

Abstract

Objectives: Neutrophil-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress may be the important events that lead to gastroduodenal mucosal damage induced by aspirin. It is hypothesized that GSH-vitamin C-E may protect to the upper gastrointestinal mucosa against low dose aspirin's (L-ASA) adverse effects. Material and methods: Male rats were fed regular diets and maintained for 40 days in the control group (n=8), the L-ASA group (n=8), which was given aspirin (1.44 mg/kg/day) administered intragastrically by feeding tube to rats, or the L-ASA with antioxidant supplement group (n=8), to whom 1.44 mg of aspirin/kg/day + a solution that contained 50 mg vitamin C, 25 mg vitamin E and 25 mg GSH was administered intragastrically by feeding tube to rats every day. After the treatments, blood, stomach and duodenum were taken for pathological and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, heat shock protein (Hsp) 70, lipid and protein oxidation analyses. Results: The stomach and duodenum of the L-ASA group rats had higher scores of pathological findings compared with the control group, whereas the severity of the lesions was found low in the antioxidant-supplemented group according to the L-ASA group. In addition, the gastric mucosal MPO activity and Hsp 70 levels in the L-ASA group were significantly higher than control, but antioxidant supplementation lowered the values of MPO and Hsp 70 in the antioxidant supplemented group (P=0.009, P=0.04). Conclusion: A simultaneous intake of GSH-vitamin C-E along with aspirin attenuated the gastric injury. GSH-vitamin C and E could play a protective role in the stomach against gastric damage resulting from low dose daily long-term aspirin use.