The comparison of alpha lipoic acid with methylprednisolone and sucralfate in subacute wound healing corrosive esophagus-induced rats: An experimental study

BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare methylprednisolone frequently used in the therapeutic practices of corrosive esophagus burns, sucralfate, a protective material of mucosal surfaces, and alpha lipoic acid, the most potent antioxidant in a rat model. METHODS: A total of 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The rats were equally divided into control, alpha lipoic acid, methylprednisolone, and sucralfate groups (n=10). A corrosive esophagus burn was created by using 10% pH:12 sodium hydroxide. No treatment was applied to the control group, and each group was given their own treatment. The treatment was continued regularly until the eighth day, when they were sacrificed. The corrosive esophagus burn lines were removed and tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS: The difference in ulceration in the group treated with alpha lipoic acid was significant, compared to the other groups. The most excellent complete epithelialization and complete re-epithelialization were observed in the alpha lipoic acid group. The difference between the groups was significant, with complete re-epithelialization being the lowest in the control and methylprednisolone groups (42.9% and 12.5%, respectively) and the highest in the alpha lipoic acid group (77.8%). In terms of ulceration and re-epithelialization, comparable values were found in the alpha lipoic acid group. The main difference was that the inflammation levels in the sucralfate group were lower and more favorable than the other groups in this period. The glutathione level was significantly higher in the alpha lipoic acid group and decreased the tissue hydroxyproline level. CONCLUSION: Alpha lipoic acid reduces esophageal ulceration, severity and prevalence of inflammation, severity and prevalence of fibrosis, decreases tissue damage by increasing blood glutathione level, and also reduces stricture in corrosive esophagus burns in rats.