Bee bread shows therapeutic and protective effects by alleviating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis on acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats

This study investigated bee bread’s (BB) protective and therapeutic effects on acetic acid-(AA)-induced gastric ulcers via oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and apoptosis. Rats were administered saline-(1ml) or BB-(0.5g/kg/day;1ml) by oral gavage once daily for 10-day following 80% AA-induced chronic ulceration in treatment group. Pretreatment group received saline or BB for 10-day before and 3-day after ulcer induction. Stomachs of decapitated rats were collected for ulcer index, histological and biochemical analyses. BB significantly reduced the gastric ulcer index and levels of chemiluminescence, HMGB-1, IL-6, IL-1ß and IL-8 levels in pretreatment and treatment groups. In BB-pretreated ulcer group, MPO-(saline\BB, 39.9±3.7 U/g;22.2±2.2 U/g), caspase-3 (0.40±0.07 ng/g;0.18±0.01 ng/g) and IFN-γ (15.46±1.76;9.51±1.95 ng/g) levels decreased and TNF-α (31.77±5.13;18.94±2.59 ng/g) reduced only in BB-treated ulcer group. MDA, GSH, NRF-2, and 8-OHdG levels remained unchanged. BB has demonstrated protective and therapeutic effects by reducing ROS production, modulating inflammation and apoptosis. Bee bread has high amounts of apigenin, quercetin, galangin, p-coumaric acid and lower amounts of ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and chrysin along with high antioxidant capacity.Bee bread has the capacity to reduce microscopic and macroscopic reduction of ulcerated gastric tissue damage, and its capacity is associated with a significant protective effect on the gastric mucosa.The beneficial effect of bee bread on gastric mucosa was found to be mediated by the inhibition of excessive ROS production, suppression of inflammatory response and down-regulation of apoptosis. Bee bread has high amounts of apigenin, quercetin, galangin, p-coumaric acid and lower amounts of ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and chrysin along with high antioxidant capacity. Bee bread has the capacity to reduce microscopic and macroscopic reduction of ulcerated gastric tissue damage, and its capacity is associated with a significant protective effect on the gastric mucosa. The beneficial effect of bee bread on gastric mucosa was found to be mediated by the inhibition of excessive ROS production, suppression of inflammatory response and down-regulation of apoptosis.