Indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer: Protective effects of betaine

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant effects of betaine concomitant with omeprazole and ranitidine against indomethacin-induced gastric damages in rats. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into two controls (negative and normal) and five experimentally groups as follows: Betaine-indomethacin (Bet.-Ind.), Ascorbic acid-indomethacin (Asc.-Ind.), Omeprazole-indomethacin (Ome.-Ind.), Betaine-omeprazole plus indomethacin (Bet.-Ome.-Ind.) and Betaine-ranitidine plus indomethacin (Bet.-Ran.-Ind.). Betaine 1.5% (w/w) of the total diet and ascorbic acid 50 mg/kg administrated for the betaine-pretreated rats and Asc.-Ind. group in 15 consecutive days, respectively. After 24 h fasting, all the groups received indomethacin 48 mg/kg and one dose of omeprazole (10 mg/kg BW) and ranitidine (50 mg/kg BW), 120 min before feeding with indomethacin for omeprazole and ranitidine-treated rats. Results Conclusion: Histopathology findings indicated gastroprotective effects of betaine and ranitidine by significantly increase of the ulcer index inhibition (%), in comparison to the ascorbic acid and the omeprazole (alone) treatment in rats. Gastric wall glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was significantly higher in the Bet.-Ran.-Ind. group as compared to the Asc.-Ind. and Ome.-Ind. treated rats. GPx activity also significantly increased in Bet.-Ind. treated rats when compared to the Asc.-Ind. group. Catalase (CAT) activity was significantly higher in the Bet.-Ran.-Ind. treated rats than the Asc.-Ind. and Ome.-Ind. groups. TBARS concentration as a lipid peroxidation marker significantly increased in the Ome.-Ind. group when compared to the Bet.-Ind. and Bet.-Ran.-Ind. treated rats. It seems that betaine as an antioxidant agent, could improve antisecretory drug effects against indomethacin-mediated gastric damages.