Inhibitory activities of ethanol extracts from Saururus chinensis L. against stress-induced hemorrhagic gastritis

In this study, gastritis inhibitory substance was ethanol-extracted from Saururus chinensis in order to examine the effect as a part of natural bioactive substance research. In an oral administration experiment, S. chinensis was administered at doses of 0.25 g/kg B.W. to 2 g/kg B.W., resulting in stabilization at 1.5 g/kg B.W. and an LD50 of 1.81 g/kg B.W. In a chronic toxicity experiment, 0.5 g/kg B.W. of S. chinensis was administered for 13 weeks, but toxicity was not observed. S. chinensis ethanol-extracts were administered at a concentration of 250 or 500 mg/kg B.W. before induction of gastritis. Gastrorrhagia, stomach edema, cytokine production, and cell damage were reduced in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, S. chinensis ethanol extracts inhibit cell damage by stress-induced hemorrhagic gastritis in a concentration-dependent manner via inhibition of cytokine expression.