Long-term feeding effects of heated and fried oils on hepatic antioxidant enzymes,absorption and excretion of fat in rats

Long-term feeding effect of heated and fried peanut (PNO), rice bran (RBO) and palm oil (PO) in the diet on the hepatic antioxidant enzyme status and absorption and excretion of fats were studied in laboratory rats. The rats were fed oils heated to 180°C continuously for a period of 72 h or laboratory fried at 20% level in the diet for 18 weeks. The results of the study indicated a significant increase in the catalase activity in HO groups and decrease in the FRO groups. The GPx activity while significantly low in HO groups was high in FRO groups, whereas, significant decrease in GST activity was observed in both PNO-HO/FRO groups. Increased activity was noted in RBO-FRO and PO-HO/FRO groups. The SOD activity showed a mixed response in different heated/fried oils and a marginal increase in the levels of fecal fat excretion was observed in some of the heated/fried oil groups. The results indicated no appreciable damage with respect to these antioxidant enzymes. Also, feeding heated fats as high as 20% in the diet for long duration does not result either in reduced food intake or excess fecal fat excretion.     

Antioxidant enzyme systems in rat liver and skeletal muscle. Influences of selenium deficiency, chronic training, and acute exercise

The influences of selenium deficiency (Se-D), chronic training, and an acute bout of exercise on hepatic and skeletal muscle antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), as well as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and tissue lipid peroxidation, were investigated in post-weaning male Sprague-Dawley rats. Se-D per se depleted GPX in both liver and skeletal muscle but had no effect on SOD or catalase activity. One hour of treadmill running (20 m/min, 0% grade and 27 m/min, 15% grade for untrained and trained rats, respectively) significantly elevated hepatic catalase and cytosolic SOD activity; more prominent activations were found in the Se-D or untrained rats, whereas skeletal muscle antioxidant enzymes were little affected. Ten weeks of training (1 h/day, 5 days/week at 27 m/min, 15% grade) increased hepatic mitochondrial SOD by 23% (P less than 0.05) in Se-D rats. Both hepatic mitochondrial and cytosolic GPX were decreased by training whereas GPX was increased twofold in skeletal muscle mitochondria. Se-independent GPX was elevated by training only in the skeletal muscle mitochondria of Se-D rats. Lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde formation) was increased by an acute bout of exercise in hepatic mitochondria of the untrained rats and in skeletal muscle mitochondria of the Se-D rats. These data indicate that antioxidant enzymes in liver and skeletal muscle are capable of adapting to selenium deficiency and exercise to minimize oxidative injury caused by free radicals.     

镉对长江华溪蟹肝胰腺抗氧化酶活力的影响

重金属对环境的污染已成为全球面临的首要问题之一,其中镉(Cd2 )是一种广泛存在的毒性污染物,能通过消化道和呼吸道进入生物体,对机体造成损伤(Zyadah and Abdel-Baky,2000)。研究表明,Cd2 可以通过Ca2 通道穿过细胞膜进入机体(Roesijadi and Robinson,1994),诱导产生大量自由基和活性氧(ROS),从而形成氧胁迫(Toppi andGabbrielli,1994;Hegedus et al.,2001)。ROS可以与体内脂质、蛋白质和核酸反应,导致脂质过氧化、细胞膜损伤并且影响多种酶的活力,对生物体造成威胁。由于在水生生态系统中生物富集污染物的作用明显,故相对于陆地生…     

A trifunctional enzyme with glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity

Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) play crucial roles in balancing the production and decomposition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living organisms. These enzymes act cooperatively and synergistically to scavenge ROS, as not one of them can singlehandedly clear all forms of ROS. In order to imitate the synergy of the enzymes, we designed and generated a recombinant protein, which comprises of a Schistosoma japonicum GST (SjGST) and a bifunctional 35-mer peptide with SOD and GPX activities. The engineered protein demonstrated SOD, GPX and GST activities simultaneously. This trifunctional enzyme with SOD, GPX and GST activities is expected to be the best ROS scavenger.     

A trifunctional enzyme with glutathione S-transferase,glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity

Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) play crucial roles in balancing the production and decomposition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living organisms. These enzymes act cooperatively and synergistically to scavenge ROS, as not one of them can singlehandedly clear all forms of ROS. In order to imitate the synergy of the enzymes, we designed and generated a recombinant protein, which comprises of a Schistosoma japonicum GST (SjGST) and a bifunctional 35-mer peptide with SOD and GPX activities. The engineered protein demonstrated SOD, GPX and GST activities simultaneously. This trifunctional enzyme with SOD, GPX and GST activities is expected to be the best ROS scavenger.     

Tinospora cordifolia induces enzymes of carcinogen/drug metabolism and antioxidant system, and inhibits lipid peroxidation in mice

The present study is an effort to identify a potent chemopreventive agent against various diseases (including cancer) in which oxidative stress plays an important causative role. Here, we investigated the effect of a hydroalcoholic (80% ethanol: 20% distilled water) extract of aerial roots of Tinospora cordifolia (50 and 100mg/kg body wt./day for 2 weeks) on carcinogen/drug metabolizing phase-I and phase-II enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, glutathione (GSH) content, lactate dehydrogenase and lipid peroxidation in liver of 8-week-old Swiss albino mice. The modulatory effect of the extract was also examined on extrahepatic organs, i.e., lung, kidney and forestomach, for the activities of GSH S-transferase (GST), DT-diaphorase (DTD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Significant increases in the levels of acid-soluble sulfhydryl (-SH) and cytochrome P(450) contents, and enzyme activities of cytochrome P(450) reductase, cytochrome b(5) reductase, GST, DTD, SOD, catalase, GSH peroxidase (GPX) and GSH reductase (GR) were observed in the liver. Both treated groups showed decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. In lung SOD, catalase and GST; in kidney SOD and catalase; and in forestomach SOD, DTD and GST showed significant increase at both dose levels of treatment. BHA (0.75%, w/w in diet), a pure antioxidant compound, was used as a positive control. This group showed increase in hepatic levels of GSH content, cytochrome b(5), DTD, GST, GR and catalase, whereas MDA formation was inhibited significantly. In the BHA-treated group, the lung and kidney showed increased levels of catalase, DTD and GST, whereas SOD was significantly increased in the kidney and forestomach; the latter also showed an increase in the activities of DTD and GST. The enhanced GSH level and enzyme activities involved in xenobiotic metabolism and maintaining antioxidant status of cells are suggestive of a chemopreventive efficacy of T. cordifolia against chemotoxicity, including carcinogenicity, which warrants further investigation of active principle (s) present in the extract responsible for the observed effects employing various carcinogenesis models.     

Effect of vitamin E and selenium on antioxidant enzymes in brain,kidney and liver of cigarette smoke-exposed mice

The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of vitamin E and selenium (Se) application on alteration of antioxidant enzyme activities against cigarette smoking induced oxidative damage in brains, kidneys and liver of mice. Male mice (balb/c) were exposed to cigarette smoke and treated with Se and/or vitamin E. Glutathione transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GRX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities in mice brain, kidney and liver were measured spectrophotometrically. GST, GPX, GRX, SOD and CAT enzyme activities in the brains of smoke-exposed mice were found lower than the enzymes activities of control mice and Se-and vitamin E-treated mice at the end of the three and five months. Opposite to brain, enzyme activities in kidneys and livers of smoke-exposed mice were found higher than the enzymes activities of control mice and Se-and vitamin E-treated mice at the end of the three and five months. Activities of GST, GPX, GRX SOD and CAT in the livers, kidneys and brains of smoke-exposed mice were found statistically different (p < 0.01) compared to control mice and Se-and vitamin E-treated mice. Combined application of vitamin E and Se had an additive protective effect against changing enzymes activities in smoke-exposed mice livers, kidneys and brains at the end of the both application periods. These results suggest that cigarette smoke exposure enhances the oxidative stress, thereby disturbing the tissue antioxidant defense system and combined application of vitamin E and Se protects the brain, kidney and liver from oxidative damage through their antioxidant potential.     

Superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the brain of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Brain antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) levels were studied in the brains of early diabetic (72 hr) and long term diabetic (one month) rats. Diabetes was induced by injecting streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) in citrate buffer. One group of diabetic rats was treated with insulin (1U/day/animal). The results indicate that early diabetic rats exhibit increased SOD and CAT activities with no alteration in the GPX activity. On the contrary, increased CAT decreased GPX activities with no alteration in the SOD activity, was noted in the long-term Diabetic rats. Insulin treatment reversed these alterations in both the groups. It can be concluded that, in diabetic condition antioxidant enzyme levels are elevated and insulin treatment attenuated these changes. Hence, diabetes mellitus, if left untreated, may initiate degenerative processes and other CNS complications due to accumulation of oxidative free radicals.     

Interaction of vitamin E and exercise training on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities in rat skeletal muscles

It has been shown that free radicals are increased during intensive exercise. We hypothesized that vitamin E (vit E) deficiency, which will increase oxidative stress, would augment the training-induced adaptation of antioxidant enzymes. This study investigated the interaction effect of vit E and exercise training on oxidative stress markers and activities of antioxidant enzymes in red quadriceps and white gastrocnemius of rats in a 2x2 design. Thirty-two male rats were divided into trained vit E-adequate, trained vit E-deficient, untrained vit E-adequate, and untrained vit E-deficient groups. The two trained groups swam 6 h/day, 6 days/week for 8 weeks. The two vit E-deficient groups consumed vit E-free diet for 8 weeks. Vitamin E-training interaction effect was significant on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in both muscles. The trained vit E-deficient group showed the highest TBARS and GPX activity and the lowest SOD activity in both muscles. A significant vit E effect on glutathione reductase and catalase was present in both muscles. Glutathione reductase and catalase activities were significantly lower in the two vit E-adequate groups combined than in the two vit E-deficient groups combined in both muscles. This study shows that vit E status and exercise training have interactive effect on oxidative stress and GPX and SOD activities in rat skeletal muscles. Vitamin E deprivation augmented the exercise-induced elevation in GPX activity while inhibiting exercise-induced SOD activity, possibly through elevated oxidative stress.     

Preventive effect of safranal against oxidative damage in aged male rat brain

An imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and its elimination by antioxidant defense system in the body has been implicated for causes of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. This study was design to assess the changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase), lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the brain of 2, 10 and 20 month old rats, and to determine the effect of safranal on the status of selected oxidative stress indices in the 10 and 20 month old rats. The aged rats (10 and 20 months) were given intraperitoneal injections of safranal (0.5 mg/kg day) daily for one month. The results of this study demonstrated that aging caused significant increase in the level of lipid peroxidation as well decrease in the GSH level and activities of SOD and GST in the brain of aging rats. The results of this study showed that safranal ameliorated the increased lipid peroxidation level as well as decreased GSH content of the brain of 10 and 20 month old rats. In addition, safranal treatment to the 20 month old rats, which restored the SOD and GST activities. In conclusion, safranal can be effective to protect susceptible aged brain from oxidative damage by increasing antioxidant defenses.     

镉对泥蚶抗氧化酶系统的影响

研究了不同浓度的重金属Cd²⁺对泥蚶抗氧化酶活性的影响。设置了四组镉的梯度(0、0.025、0.05和0.1 mg·L^-1,分别在第12、24、48、96和144 h对各组织取样,用泥蚶内脏团与鳃制成酶样,对非特异性免疫抗氧化酶SOD、CAT、GST、GPX进行指标测定。结果表明,在开始的12～24 h,中低浓度组SOD酶的活力与对照组相比有显著性地提高,高浓度组SOD酶的活力变化不显著,随着暴露时间的延长和Cd²⁺浓度的增加,随后至144 h,高中浓度组SOD酶的活力降至低于对照组水平(P<0.05);GPX和GST活力的变化与SOD变化相似,它们的活性在12～48 h的范围内达到顶峰,然后与对照组相比出现显著下降;中低浓度组的CAT酶活力在第144 h时与对照组相比无显著差异(P<0.05)。在一定程度的Cd²⁺胁迫会对泥蚶体内的抗氧化酶系统造成损伤。     

低盐度胁迫对银鲳幼鱼肝脏抗氧化酶、鳃和肾脏ATP酶活力的影响

通过逐级降低水体盐度的方法,将银鲳幼鱼分别在盐度25、20、15和10的条件下饲养120 h,检测不同盐度下、不同时间点银鲳幼鱼肝脏中抗氧化酶、鳃和肾脏ATP酶的活力.结果表明:随着盐度的降低和处理时间的延长,肝脏中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST)活力总体表现出先升后降的趋势(P<0.05);而过氧化氢酶(CAT)的活力除在盐度20的24 h和盐度15的48 h略有上升外,其他各时间点的酶活力均低于对照组(P<0.05);谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPX)活力表现出逐步升高的趋势(P<0.05);谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)活力在盐度15的24 h时出现上升,随后下降到较低水平(P<0.05).鳃和肾脏中Na+/K+-ATP酶和Ga2+/Mg2+-ATP酶活力总体均表现为先升后降的趋势(P<0.05),只是在两种器官中ATP酶上升的起始盐度和时间有所不同.适当降低水体盐度可以激活和增强银鲳幼鱼肝脏中的抗氧化酶、鳃和肾脏ATP酶活力,消除机体中过多的活性氧自由基和稳定细胞内外渗透压平衡.但不同酶被激活具有一定的组织器官特异性和时序性,而且当达到机体的耐受极限后,酶活力反被抑制.     

Effect of angiotensin II on energetics,glucose metabolism and cytosolic NADH/NAD and NADPH/NADP redox in vascular smooth muscle

We investigated the potential of chronic administration of an oral daily dose (10 mg/kg) of the dietary flavonoid quercetin to prevent hypertension and oxidative stress induced by deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt in rats. We have compared its effects to those produced by the well-known anti-hypertensive drug verapamil, administered orally (20 mg/kg/day). Quercetin and verapamil treatments reduced systolic blood pressure of DOCA-salt rats in approximately 67.6 and 63.3% respectively, producing no effect in control animals. Both drugs reduced significantly hepatic and renal hypertrophy induced by DOCA-salt administration, while only quercetin prevented cardiac hypertrophy. Decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine of aortic rings from DOCA-salt-treated rats was improved by quercetin, but verapamil only enhanced it in the presence of superoxide dismutase (SOD) plus catalase. Increased plasma and heart thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total glutathione (GSH) levels in liver and heart, decreased liver glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and liver and kidney glutathione transferase (GST) activities were observed in DOCA-salt-treated rats compared to the control animals. The antihypertensive effect of quercetin was accompanied by normalisation of plasma TBARS values, improvement of the antioxidant defences system in heart and liver, restoring total GSH levels in both organs and altered liver GST and GPX activities, and improving kidney GST activity. Verapamil treatment only restored GSH levels in heart, having no effect on other alterations induced by DOCA-salt chronic administration in the antioxidant defences analysed. In conclusion, quercetin shows both antihypertensive and antioxidant properties in this model of mineralocorticoid hypertension, while verapamil exhibits only antihypertensive effects.     

Modulatory influence of dietary resveratrol during different phases of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced mucosal lipid-peroxidation, antioxidant status and aberrant crypt foci development in rat colon carcinogenesis

To shed light on the association of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status with the development of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), we studied the modulatory influence of resveratrol, supplemented in three dietary regimens (initiation, post-initiation and entire period) on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis. Rats were administered DMH (20 mg/kg body weight, s.c.) for 15 weeks and were supplemented with resveratrol (8 mg/kg body weight, p.o. everyday) in three dietary regimens. Intestines and colons were analyzed for the levels of diene conjugates (DC), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Enzymic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPX; glutathione S-transferase, GST; and glutathione reductase, GR) and non-enzymic reserve (reduced glutathione, GSH; ascorbate; and alpha-tocopherol) were also assessed in the intestine and colon. Unsupplemented DMH exposed rats showed significantly decreased levels/activities of tissue DC, LOOHs, TBARS, SOD, CAT, GSH, GR and significantly elevated (P<0.05) GPX, GST, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate as compared to control rats. Resveratrol supplementation during the entire period of the study resulted in significant (P<0.01) modulation of lipid peroxidation markers and antioxidants status, which were paralleled with ACF suppression, as compared to DMH-alone treated rats. These results indicate that resveratrol effectively inhibits DMH-induced ACF and colonic tumor development.     

Changes in activities of superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide synthase, glutathione-dependent enzymes and the incidence of apoptosis in sheep corpus luteum during the estrous cycle

Anti-oxidative enzymes play a role in protecting cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether the anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant enzymatic capacities of the sheep corpus luteum (CL) are correlated with steroidogenic and structural status of the gland during the estrous cycle. Steroidogenic activity, apoptosis and superoxide dismutase (SOD1 and SOD2), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GSR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were determined in the CL at specific developmental stages of the luteal phase. The intensity of apoptotic DNA fragmentation, characteristic of physiological cell death, was much greater in CL at late luteal phase than at early and mid-luteal phase, concomitantly with the diminution in the plasma progesterone concentrations from mid-to late luteal phase. SOD1 and GPX activities increased from early to mid-luteal phase, and increased further at late luteal phase. SOD2 and GST activities were not different between early and mid-luteal phase, but increased at late luteal phase. GSR activity was not different between any luteal phase examined. NOS activity decreased from early to mid- and late luteal phase. These results show that the activities of SOD1, SOD2, NOS, GPX, GSR and GST in the sheep CL are subject to major changes during the estrous cycle, and that the anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant enzymatic capacities of luteal cells are not correlated with cell steroidogenic status and integrity during the late luteal phase.     

Aluminium increases xanthine oxidase activity and disturbs antioxidant status in the rat.

The mechanisms responsible for the neurotoxic effects of Al remain poorly understood. In order to determine whether Al promotes oxidative stress in vivo, we measured the enzymatic activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) in four groups of rats after eight days of intraperitoneal administration of variable concentrations of Al (0, 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg body weight, respectively). XO activity was measured in both plasma and liver samples, and the activities of the remaining enzymes were further determined in the brain and red blood cells (RBC). The most significant changes were observed in XO and GPX activities, that were enhanced and depressed, respectively. In both instances, the enzyme activities were correlated with Al concentrations, either positively (XO) or negatively (GPX). Enhancement of XO and inhibition of GPX activity may lead to the accumulation of intermediate toxic compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, since SOD activity is increased as well. The latter finding must be taken with some caution because previous studies have shown contradictory results in this field. Our data suggest that Al toxicity could be mediated by its action on both pro- and anti-oxidant enzymes. The biological significance of these findings remains to be established.     

Skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, antioxidant enzymes, and exercise training

The purposes of this study were to determine whether exercise training induces increases in skeletal muscle antioxidant enzymes and to further characterize the relationship between oxidative capacity and antioxidant enzyme levels in skeletal muscle. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exercise trained (ET) on a treadmill 2 h/day at 32 m/min (8% incline) 5 days/wk or were cage confined (sedentary control, S) for 12 wk. In both S and ET rats, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities were directly correlated with the percentages of oxidative fibers in the six skeletal muscle samples studied. Muscles of ET rats had increased oxidative capacity and increased GPX activity compared with the same muscles of S rats. However, SOD activities were not different between ET and S rats, but CAT activities were lower in skeletal muscles of ET rats than in S rats. Exposure to 60 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion (I/R) resulted in decreased GPX and increased CAT activities but had little or no effect on SOD activities in muscles from both S and ET rats. The I/R-induced increase in CAT activity was greater in muscles of ET than in muscles of S rats. Xanthine oxidase (XO), xanthine dehydrogenase (XD), and XO + XD activities after I/R were not related to muscle oxidative capacity and were similar in muscles of ET and S rats. It is concluded that although antioxidant enzyme activities are related to skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, the effects of exercise training on antioxidant enzymes in skeletal muscle cannot be predicted by measured changes in oxidative capacity.     

Changes in antioxidative enzymes in cucumber cotyledons during natural senescence: comparison with those during dark-induced senescence

Changes in 7 antioxidative enzymes in naturally senescent cotyledons of cucumber ( Cucumis sativus ) were investigated. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), dehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.8.5.1) and glutathione reductase (GR; EC 1.6.4.2) gradually decreased during the progression of senescence, while those of ascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX; EC 1.11.1.7) gradually increased. The activity of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR; EC 1.6.5.4) was not significantly changed. Western blot analysis showed that the protein level of mitochondrial SOD gradually declined. The protein level of catalase transiently decreased and then increased in the later stages of senescence, despite the decrease in its activity. The overall behavior was markedly different from that found in cotyledons of artificially senescing seedlings transferred into darkness; the activities of SOD, catalase, APX, GPX and GR gradually increased.     

Effects of water extract of Usnea longissima on antioxidant enzyme activity and mucosal damage caused by indomethacin in rats

In this study, the antiulcerogenic effect of a water extract obtained from the lichen species Usnea longissima was investigated using indomethacin-induced ulcer models in rats. Experimental groups consisted of six rats. Antiulcerogenic activities of 50, 100 and 200mg/kg body wt. doses of the water extract were determined by comparing the negative (treated only with indomethacin) and positive (ranitidine) control groups. Although all doses of the water extract of U. longissima showed significant antiulcerogenic activity as compared to negative control groups, the highest activity was observed with 100 mg/kg body wt. doses (79.8%). The water extract of U. longissima showed moderate antioxidant activity when compared with trolox and ascorbic acids used as positive antioxidants. In addition, the activities of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] were determined in the stomach tissues of rats and compared with those of the negative and positive control groups to expose the effects of antioxidant enzymes on antiulcerogenic activity. SOD and GST enzymes activities in indomethacin-administrated tissues were reduced significantly by indomethacin in comparison to control groups. These enzymes were activated, however, by the water extracts of U. longissima. In contrast to SOD and GST activities, CAT activity was increased by indomethacin and reduced by all doses of U. longissima and ranitidine. The present results indicate that the water extract of U. longissima has a protective effect in indomethacin-induced ulcers, which can be attributed to its antioxidant potential.