Gastroprotective and Antioxidative Effects of the Traditional Thai Polyherbal Formula Phy-Blica-D against Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Rats

Phy-Blica-D is a traditional Thai polyherbal formula that has reduced oxidative stress in non-communicable diseases. However, evidence supporting the gastroprotective effects of Phy-Blica-D has not been previously reported. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective effects of Phy-Blica-D against gastric ulcers in rats and investigate the potential underlying mechanism. To estimate the possible mechanisms of action, we examined the levels of oxidative stress markers, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH). According to our results, rats treated with only 80% ethanol (vehicle group) exhibited significant increases in their ulcer area and ulcer index (UI). Moreover, the levels of ROS and MDA markedly increased in the vehicle group compared with the normal control group. Daily oral administration of Phy-Blica-D (500 and 1000 mg/kg) for 7 days not only significantly decreased the ulcer area and UI, but also remarkably decreased the ROS and MDA levels in gastric tissue. Gastric ulcers induced by ethanol had significantly decreased antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT and SOD) and non-enzymatic antioxidant (GSH), whereas pretreatment with Phy-Blica-D significantly improved the activities of CAT, SOD, and GSH. Moreover, after exposure to ethanol, the rats exhibited a significantly increased level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which was reduced after treatment with Phy-Blica-D. These findings suggest that Phy-Blica-D potentially exerts its gastroprotective effects by suppressing oxidative stress and stimulating antioxidant enzymes, which is one of the causes of destruction of cell membranes, and it is involved in the pathogenesis of acute gastric ulcers induced by ethanol

Effects of black seed oil combined with olive oil or honey on antioxidant activities, phenolic content, and identification and quantification of thymoquinone, a key bioactive compound

The plant Nigella sativa (NS) has a rich history in folk medicine, being utilized for various illnesses and as tonic drugs. Furthermore, thymoquinone (TQ), a major compound found in the seeds of NS, may exhibit antioxidant activity. In addition to black candles, traditional medicine employs olive oil and honey to nourish the body. Some folk medicine systems combine NS, honey, and olive oil for improved efficacy; however, knowledge regarding the antioxidant properties of black seed oil (BSO), BSO with olive oil (BSOO), and BSO with honey (BSOH) remains limited. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the antioxidant properties of BSO, BSOO, and BSOH. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that BSO contained 73.48 ± 1.23 mg/kg TQ. BSO, BSOO, and BSOH exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity, with NO scavenging activities of 94.32, 76.53, and 50.37, respectively. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and metal chelating activity assays (with half-maximal inhibitory concentration values), oxygen radical antioxidant capacity, and total flavonoid compound content of BSO were 0.135 ± 0.003 mg/mL, 0.005 ± 0.003 mg/mL, 32 ± 0.4 μM Trolox/g extract, and 997 ± 20 mg catechin equivalent/g of extract, respectively. These results are potentially linked to the increased antioxidant activity, as suggested by Pearson's correlation coefficients. In the ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay, the highest antioxidant activity was demonstrated by BSOO and BSOH, with total phenolic content of 7288 ± 300 mM FeSO4/mg and 346 ± 17 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g E, respectively. This study affirms the potent antioxidant properties of BSO, BSOO, and BSOH, emphasizing the importance of further research on NS infusion as a promising antioxidant agent and its application as an anti-aging and tonic drug