Sesame lignan sesamol protects against aspirin-induced gastric mucosal damage in rats

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used to control pain, fever, and various inflammatory diseases; however, they have been identified as gastro-toxic. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aspirin plus sesamol on gastric mucosa in rats. Rats were given oral aspirin (30 mg/kg/d) and oral sesamol (ranging from 0 to 30 mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks, after which their gastric mucosal integrity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and neutrophil infiltration were assessed 6 h after gastric surgery. Sesamol dose-dependently decreased aspirin-induced gastric haemorrhage and mucosal ulceration, and significantly reduced (a) gastric mucosal lipid peroxidation, (b) nitric oxide production, (c) gastric mucosal proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1-β levels), and (d) the activity of gastric mucosal myeloperoxidase compared with aspirin-alone groups. We hypothesize that aspirin plus sesamol decreases aspirin-induced gastro-toxicity by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration and subsequent gastric mucosal inflammation and oxidative stress in rats.