Octreotide ameliorates gastric lesions in chronically mild stressed rats

AIM：To evaluate the effect of chronic mild stress（CMS） on the emergence of gastric ulcers and possible modulation by octreotide,a synthetic somatostatin analogue. METHODS：Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to nine different unpredictable random stress procedures for 21 d,a multifactorial interactional animal model for CMS.Octreotide was administered daily for 21 d at two dose levels（50 and 90μg/kg）before exposure to stress procedure.Macro-and microscopical assessments were made,in addition to quantification of plasma corticosterone and gastric mucosal inflammatory,oxidative stress, and apoptotic biomarkers. RESULTS：Exposure to CMS elevated plasma corticosterone（28.3±0.6μg/dL,P=0.002）,an event that was accompanied by gastric lesions（6.4±0.16 mm,P=0.01） and confirmed histopathologically.Moreover,the insult elevated gastric mucosal lipid peroxides（13±0.5 nmol/g tissue,P=0.001）,tumor necrosis factor-α（3008.6±78.18 pg/g tissue,P0.001）,prostaglandin E2（117.1 ±4.31 pg/g tissue,P=0.002）,and caspase-3 activity （2.4±0.14 OD/mg protein,P=0.002）.Conversely,CMS mitigated interleukin-10（627.9±12.82 pg/g tissue,P= 0.001）.Furthermore,in animals exposed to CMS,octreotide restored plasma corticosterone（61%and 71%from CMS,P=0.002）at both dose levels.These beneficial effects were associated with a remarkable suppression of gastric lesions（38%and 9%from CMS,P=0.01）and reversal of derangements in gastric mucosa. CONCLUSION：The current investigation provides evidence that exposure to CMS induces gastric ulceration, which was alleviated by administration of octreotide possibly possessing antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,and anti-apoptotic actions.