Essential oils of Marrubium peregrinum resisted ethanol-induced gastric toxicity in vivo: biochemical and histopathological approaches

Abstract

Marrubium peregrinum is acknowledged as a traditional therapeutic plant that relieves stomach aches and gastrointestinal disorders. The present investigation evaluates the acute toxicity and gastroprotective potential of the essential oil of Marrubium peregrinum (EOMP) in absolute ethanol-mediated ulceration. It identifies molecular pathways that underlie its bioactivities. The anti-ulcer potential of EOMP (100 and 200 mg/kg) was evaluated both macroscopically and microscopically. Moreover, toxicological evaluation included behavioral, biochemical, and histological alterations that occurred due to EOMP ingestion. Pretreatment with EOMP (100 and 200 mg/kg) noticeably reduced the severity of gastric injury mediated by absolute ethanol and lowered hemorrhagic and gastric tissue disruptions. Ingestion of OEMP (100 and 200 mg/kg) 1 h prior to ethanol initiation significantly inhibited lesion incidence by 73.72% and 77.65%, respectively. EOMP supplementation resisted ethanol-induced histological alterations and restored gastric defensive factors (increasing mucin secretion and pH). Moreover, EOMP-treated mice exhibited higher heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) and lower Bax proteins, matching with increased prostaglandin E2, catalase, and superoxide dismutase contents. The ethanol-mediated oxidative stress (MDA) and gastric inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6) were significantly mimicked because of EOMP pretreatments. The toxicity evaluation evidenced the safe ingestion of up to 2 g/kg EOMP in mice without any noticeable morbidity throughout the 2-week toxicity trial. These outcomes present the prophylactic effect of EOMP against ethanol-mediated stomach toxicity by strengthening gastric defense factors, increasing endogenous antioxidants, lowering inflammatory mediators, and reducing apoptotic actions. Altogether, the outcomes contributed to faster gastric tissue recovery because of EOMP pretreatment, without any incidence of toxicity.

Keywords: antioxidant, gastric ulcer, immunohistochemistry, inflammation, Marrubium peregrinum.