The present study was aimed to investigate the
effect of wheat oligopeptide and glutamine on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs) induced gastrointestinal mucosa damage in rats.
Method:
70 SD rats were randomly divided into control group, damage group, low, medium
and high doses of the wheat peptide group (the doses were 20, 100 and 500
mg/(kg·d), respectively), wheat gluten group and glutamine group (the doses
were both 20 mg/(kg·d)). The rats were administered once a day for continuous
30 days. Before sacrificing, NSAIDs were infused into the digestive tract
twice. Serum,
stomach and small intestine mucosa samples were collected to observe the changes of the
indicators of serum cytokine, pathological section of
stomach and small intestine, enzyme activity of small intestinal antioxidase and opioid
receptor mRNA expression.
Results: Wheat oligopeptides administration
reduced gastrointestinal mucosa damage, and significantly decreased the level
of TNF-alpha in serum. Oxidative stress was significantly increased after NSAID
infusion and was reduced by wheat oligopeptides. Wheat oligopeptides increased
glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in mucous membrane of small intestine. Mu opioid receptor
mRNA expression decreased more significantly in wheat oligopeptides treated
rats than in the model control group. Conclusion: Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs can induce small intestinal damage in rats and wheat
oligopeptides administration may be an effective tool for protecting gastrointestinal
tissue against NSAID-induced gastrointestinal damage and oxidative stress. The
effect of low doses of the wheat peptide group was the strongest, and stronger
than that of glutamine group.