Protective Effect of Crocin on Gastric Mucosal Lesions Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of crocin on gastric mucosal lesions caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Forty male rats were randomly divided into sham, control (I/R injury) and three crocin-pretreated groups. To induce I/R lesions, the celiac artery was clamped for 30 min and then the clamp was removed to allow reperfusion for 3 h. Pretreated-rats received crocin (7.5, 15 or 30 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min prior to the induction of I/R injury. Samples of gastric mucosa were collected to measure the following variables: 1 mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) by RT-PCR; 2 activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and 3 tissue levels of malonyldehaldehyde (MDA). Pretreatment with crocin decreased the total area of gastric lesions. Messenger RNA expressions of SOD and Gpx in control I/R injury rats were significantly decreased as compared with sham-operated group (P<0.001). Crocin pretreatment 30 min prior to I/R injury significantly increased mRNA expressions of SOD and Gpx genes. The gastric mucosal activities of SOD and Gpx in control I/R injury rats were significantly lower than in crocin-pretreated groups (P<0.01). Crocin pretreatment decreased mucosal production of MDA. Our findings showed the protective effect of crocin on gastric mucosa against ischemia-reperfusion injury. These effects of crocin were mainly mediated by increasing the mRNA expressions- and the enzyme activity of SOD and Gpx as well as by inhibiting the production of free radicals.