The Protective Effects of 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid on Helicobacter pylori-Infected Gastric Mucosa in Mongolian Gerbils

Abstract EN

18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA), a major component of Glycyrrhiza glabra, is widely used therapeutically in clinic.

In this study, the effect of GRA on Helicobacter pylori- (H.

pylori-) infected gastritis was investigated in Mongolian gerbils in vivo.

The gerbils were randomly divided into groups: uninfected; H.

pylori-infected; H.

pylori + antibiotics (clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and esomeprazole); and H.

pylori + GRA.

The gastric intraluminal pH value, histopathological changes, and the expression levels of inflammation-related cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, COX-2, and iNOS) were investigated.

The results showed that, in the H.

pylori + GRA group, the intraluminal gastric pH value was lower ( 2.14 ± 0.08 versus 3.17 ± 0.23 , P < 0.05 ), erosion and hyperplasia were alleviated, the infiltration of neutrophils and mononuclear cells was attenuated ( P < 0.05 ), and the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2, and iNOS were decreased ( P < 0.05 ) compared with the H.

pylori-infected group.

There was no significant difference in results between the H.

pylori + GRA group and the H.

pylori + antibiotics group.

This study indicated that GRA significantly attenuated H.

pylori-infected gastritis in gerbils and has the potential to be developed as a new therapeutic drug.