Gastrorepair potential of functional fermented orange beverage against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats

Previous investigations have revealed that a functional fermented orange beverage presented in its composition different phenolic compounds, which through in silico investigation demonstrated to have biological effects of therapeutic importance as antioxidant, gastrorepair, and anti-ulcerative properties. Thus, this study confirmed in vivo, through a model of EtOH-induced gastric ulcers in rats, the beneficial properties indicated by the in silico tests. Gastric ulcer was induced by EtOH (intragastric) and was treated after 1 h with fermented orange beverage with and without Mentha piperita extract (0.5 mL/100 g w.b). Omeprazole was used as positive control. Histopathological evaluation revealed that EtOH administration resulted in the formation of gastric ulcers due to the reduction of the mucus layer, presence of hemorrhage, and infiltration of neutrophils in the stomach tissue of rats, and only treatment with omeprazole was able to reverse these changes. Additionally, EtOH administration altered the gastric juice volume and induced oxidative stress in the gastric tissue observed through the increase in lipid peroxidation (TBARS), reduction in the levels of non-protein thiols (NPSH), and alteration in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The ingestion of the fermented orange beverage increased NPSH levels and reduced changes in TBARS levels induced by ethanol. These findings suggested that the fermented orange beverage has antioxidant effects, as pointed out by in silico studies, but not gastrorepair and anti-ulcerative effects.