Washington, Oct 25 : A research team at the Central Food Technological Research Institute, in Mysore, India, has demonstrated the effectiveness of a novel multi-step ulcer preventive activity.

The treatment uses a novel phenol-bound pectic polysaccharide from Decalepis hamiltonii, plant species found in abundance in India, to treat multiple complications encountered during ulcers.

The Indian team’s remedy provides gastroprotection against swim / alcohol stress induced ulcers in experimental animal models and  down-regulation of activated H+, K+-ATPase in the stomach tissue, that leads to acidity.

The olysaccharide also normalises oxidative stress and oxidative stress induced damage to the stomach tissue, and antioxidant enzymes which necessitate the management of oxidative stress generated during gastric ulceration, along with recovery of damaged mucosal epithelium, which can safeguard the stomach tissue by preventing the entry of an ulcerogenic, such as Helicobacter pylori.

The identified polysaccharide also exhibited potent antioxidant activity, including free radical scavenging, DNA protection, and inhibition of growth of Helicobacter pylori in vitro, confirming the ability of the polysaccharide in inhibiting various steps of gastric ulceration directly.

The researchers concluded that a bioactive polysaccharide from swallow root, with defined sugar composition and phenolic antioxidant, exhibited multi-potent free radical scavenging antioxidant, anti-H. pylori, inhibition of H+, K+-ATPase and gastric mucosal protective activities. Swallow root has been shown to be non-toxic, as opposed to other known anti-ulcer drugs.

The report appears in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. (ANI)