Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Counteracts Hypertension and Compromised Optic Disc Circulation and Following Atrophy in Rats Subjected to High Fructose Diet

INTRODUCTION We sought to determine whether stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in rats subjected to a high fructose diet counteracts hypertension and compromised optic disc circulation and following atrophy. METHODS: Rats were put on a high fructose (80%) diet during a 1 month period. The treated group received BPC 157 in drinking water (10 ng/kg/rat/day). Their blood pressure was regularly measured, and they were subjected to ocular fundus examination. RESULTS At the end of the 1 month period, in control rats, with a mean blood pressure of 146 mmHg, we observed a pale optic disc with well-defined outer borders. In addition, the excavation noticed suggests compromised optic disc circulation and atrophy. Very thin arteries and thick hyperemic veins appeared, resulting in an arterial/vein diameter ratio of about 1/4. An abnormal red reflex and reduced brightness from the choroid suggests a decreased blood flow and choroidal blood filling. Contrarily, in the treated group of rats, who presented with a mean blood pressure of about 132 mmHg, all these changes were significantly attenuated. The optic disc appeared more vivid and healthier with less compromised circulation, and the arterial/vein diameter ratio was about 3/4. The choroid in rats drinking BPC 157 was brighter and with a more pronounced shade of red. CONCLUSION BPC 157 may be considered for treating hypertension, particularly when vascular obstruction is present

Suprahepatic inferior caval vein occlusion induced portal and caval hypertension, aortic hypotension and esophageal bleeding. therapy with pentadecapeptide BPC 157

Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 is intraduced as therapy in a suprahepatic inferior caval vein (ICV) occlusion 15 min, 24h, 48h after complete ICV ligation. Suprahepatic ICV complications that were counteracted by BPC 157 included esophageal bleeding, severe portal and caval hypertension, and aortal hypotension. Likewise, BPC 157 counteracts the lesions in the whole GI-tract. Medication (BPC 157 (10 μg/kg, 10 ng/kg), or saline (5 ml/kg) (controls)) was applied as an abdominal bath immediately after ICV occlusion. ICV occlusion produced severe esophageal bleeding in all controls, along with microscopy findings. Contrarily, given in ischemic period, BPC 157 counteracts severe esophageal bleeding and maintained grossly intact esophageal mucosa . In rats with ICV occlusion, assessment of portal (PV), caval (ICV) and aortal (AA) pressure showed huge portal hypertension and more caval hypertension, along with mild aortic hypotension (15 min: 68±4 PV, 45±4 ICV, 73±3 AA; 24 h: 56±5 PV, 49±5 ICV, 35±3 AA; 48 h 30±3 PV, 48±5 ICV, 39±3 AA-ligation period). Contrarily, BPC 157 in rats with suprahepatic ICV occlusion markedly counteracted portal and caval hypertension, and arterial hypotension (10 μg/kg bath 15 min: 3±1 PV, 9±1 ICV, 117±5 AA; 24 h: 5±1 PV, 9±1 ICV, 67±5 AA; 48 h: 5±1 PV, 9±1 ICV, 70±6 AA), 10 ng/kg bath produced similar results. BPC 157 therapy successfully counteracts the adverse effects of the suprahepatic ICV occlusion

Spinal instability in rats counteracted by pentadecapeptide BPC 157

To induce spinal instability, we focused on bilateral facetectomy in rats and possible therapeutic benefit with the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 given in the drinking water. Male Albino Wistar rats (12 weeks aged, 350-400 g b.w.), 4 rats per group, were used in the experiment. In this study, the bilateral paravertebral muscles attached to the L3–L4 segment were peeled from the lumbar spine to expose the posterior bony elements. The rats then underwent complete resection of bilateral L3–L4 facet joints without neural tissue injuries. After that, muscle and skin incsion were closed and animals returned to cages in pairs. The medication was administrated through drinking water (BPC 157 10 ng/kg, 0.16 ng/mL, 12 ml/rat/day), while controls received drinking water only. Next eight weeks we recorded and measured paw parameters (the lenght between left and right front and back paws) in control, treated and healthy rats. Radiological analysis was also performed. The paw parametars have shown that the front paws in the control group were approximately 35% and the back paws were 13% wider than in helathy rats. Contrarily, the front paws in medicated rats were only 9% and the back paws were only 4% wider than in healthy ones. Radiological assesment of rats spines acquired at 1 week or 8 weeks was conducted and BPC 157 drinking animals had higher bone density overall. BPC 157 improves damage caused by spine instability and it can be potentially used as a treatment for chronic back pain

Portal triad obstruction and reperfusion in rats –the effect of BPC 157

To investigate effects of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 therapy in temporary portal triad obstruction – PTO (hepatic artery, portal vein, common bile duct, 30 min in rats), and in reperfusion period thereafter, during 15 min and 24 h. BPC 157 (10 μg/kg, 10 ng/kg), or saline (5 ml/kg) was applied as a bath at the hepatoduodenal ligament area immediately after portal triad clamping or at the same area at 1 min or at 24 h reperfusion time. A period of 30 min of PTO much like reperfusion during 15 min and 24 h regularly produced severe hemorrhagic congestion (scored 0-4) of the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, cecum, colon, and esophageal bleeding in all controls. Contrarily, given either in ischemia period or in reperfusion period, BPC 157 counteracts severe hemorrhagic congestion in all organs, counteracts esophageal bleeding and maintained grossly intact esophageal mucosa. BPC 157 promptly induced effective shunting (venography in portal vein below ligation, portal vein-superior mesenteric vein-inferior mesenteric vein-rectal veins-left iliac vein-inferior caval vein). BPC 157, since attenuates portal hypertension in PTO-period, and completely eliminates pre-existing portal hypertension in post-PTO-period resulting in the values much like in the normal rats. PTO induced esophageal bleeding and severe hemorrhagic congestion in stomach, duodenum, jejunum, cecum and colon. BPC 157 counteracts these complications along with portal hypertension. Pringle maneuver and its consequences may have BPC 157 application as a successful therapy

BPC 157 pentadecapepide attenuates acute renal ischemia injury, prevents ensuing hemodynamic disturbances, peaked and inverted p waves, and gastrointestinal lesions

We focused on the effects of BPC 157 on acute unilateral renal ischemia in rats, subsequent severe portal (PV) and inferior vena cava (IVC) hypertension and thrombosis, abdominal aorta (AA) hypotension, peaked or inverted P waves and gastrointestinal lesions. Medication (/kg) (BPC 157 (10 μg)(treated group) or saline (5 ml)(control group)) was applied as an abdominal bath immediately after the right renal artery was ligated. 10min, 1h, and 24h after ligation electrocardiography, USB microcamera recording, intravascular cannulation, and thrombi extraction was performed. Control rats exhibited PV and IVC hypertension, aortic hypotension (mmHg) (10min: 32±2 PV, 24±4 IVC, 75±2 AA; 1h: 43±4 PV, 46±3 IVC, 73±4 AA; 24h: 30±2 PV, 34±1 IVC, 86±3 AA) and thrombosis (thrombus weight, mg) (10min: 1.3±0.3 IVC, 3.5±0.4 PV; 1h: 15.1±0.5 IVC, 5.4±0.2 PV; 24h: 16.3±1.5 IVC, 6.1±0.9 PV). Treated group showed improved pressure values (10min: 4±1 PV, 8±1 IVC, 84±3 AA; 1h: 18±2 PV, 6±1 IVC, 92±3 AA; 24h: 5±1 PV, 10±1 IVC, 97±2 AA) and milder thrombosis (10min: no thrombi; 1h: 7.7±0.3 IVC, 2.3±0.2 PV; 24h: 11.6±0.5 IVC, 3.2±0.2 PV). Control rats exhibited peaked (10 min, 1h) or inverted (24h) P waves, gastric and intestinal lesions (24h) and complete renal infarction (24h), whereas the treated rats exhibited no P wave abnormalities, significantly mitigated gastrointestinal lesions (24h) and only partial renal infarction (24h). BPC 157 therapy reduces the severity of renal ischemia injury, counteracts hemodynamic disturbances, P wave abnormalities and gastrointestinal lesions that follow