This study examined the protective effects of gardenia fruit 50% ethanol extract (GFE) on a 150 mM HCl/60% ethanol-induced acute gastric injury model in mice. The antioxidant activities were evaluated through radical scavenging assays using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). To evaluate the anti-gastritis effect of GFE, ICR mice were divided into 5 groups: Nor (normal group), Con (gastritis induced by HCl/ethanol with distilled water), SC treatment group (gastritis induced by HCl/ethanol treated with 10 mg/kg sucralfate), GL treatment group (gastritis induced by HCl/ethanol treated with 50 mg/kg GFE), and GH treatment group (gastritis induced by HCl/ethanol treated with 100 mg/kg GFE). The mice were pretreated with the extract (GL, GH) or drug (SC), and after 1 hour, 0.55 mL of 150 mM HCl/60% ethanol (v/v) mixture was administered orally. GFE improved the gastric lesions in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, GFE inhibited the increased reactive oxygen species and ONOO- through the antioxidant pathway. The antioxidative biomarkers, including nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase-1/2, were increased significantly. In addition, the inflammatory related makers, nuclear factor-kappa B p65, inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1 beta, were increased. GFE significantly inhibited inflammation through the antioxidant pathway. Therefore, GFE has potential for treating acute gastritis.

Keywords: acute gastritis, gardenia fruit, antioxidant, anti-inflammation