Protective effect of gentiopicroside from Gentiana macrophylla Pall. in ethanol‐induced gastric mucosal injury in mice

Gentiopicroside isolated from gentiana macrophylla Pall. belongs to iridoid glycosides. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of gentiopicroside against ethanol‐induced gastric mucosal injury in mice. Mice were proactively administrated with gentiopicroside by intragastric administration once a day for 3 consecutive days. On the 3rd day, gastric ulcer in mice was induced with 70% ethanol after the last intragastric administration. The stomach tissues were submitted for evaluation of the severity of gastric mucosal alterations. Gentiopicroside administrated orally ameliorated the severity of gastric mucosal alterations. Oral administration of gentiopicroside significantly increased heat shock protein‐70 and glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activity, normalized epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor levels, and decreased the levels of tumour necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6 and malondialdehyde, and myeloperoxidase activity in gastric tissue. These findings demonstrated that gentiopicroside has protective effect against ethanol‐induced gastric mucosal injury in mice through the improvements of antioxidative and anti‐inflammatory effects, as well as up‐regulation of heat shock protein‐70 level and normalization of epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor levels. The results presented in this study provide some evidence for the development of a novel antigastric ulcer agent.