Effects of aloe vera on changes of gastric microcirculation, TNF - ALPHA, and IL - 10 levels in helicobacter pylori infected rats

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection causes gastric inflammation and the release of cytokines. Aloe vera is the plant medicine that has strong anti-inflammatory effect. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of H.pylori infection on leukocyte adhesion, serum TNF-alpha, and IL-10 levels, and to assess the anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe vera on those changes. Thirty-six male Spraque-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups include control group, H.pylori infection group, and H.pylori infection with Aloe vera-treated group. Two weeks after inoculation animals from each group were divided into 2 subgroups of 3 or 8 days treatment with Aloe vera (200 mg/kg BW by gavage twice daily). Intravital fluorescence microscopic technique was performed to examine leukocyte adhesion on endothelium of postcapillary venules. ELISA technique was used to examine serum TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels. The result showed that in H.pylori infection groups leukocyte adhesion (Day 3 = 10.10 +- 0.67; Day 8 = 13.40 +- 1.00 cells/field; p<0.01) and TNF-alpha (Day 3 = 61.98 +- 18.74; Day 8 = 76.76 +- 23.18 pg/ml; p<0.05) were significantly increased when compared with the control groups (leukocyte adhesion; Day 3 = 2.23 +- 0.48; Day 8 = 2.47 +- 0.25 cells/field) (TNF-alpha; Day 3 = 8.65 +- 1.79; Day 8 = 9.92 +- 2.62 pg/ml). Treatment with Aloe vera could significantly reduce amount of leukocyte adhesion (Day 3 = 5.81 +- 0.63; Day 8 = 5.45 +- 0.51 cells/field; p<0.01), and significantly reduce TNF-alpha level (Day 3 = 14.52 +- 5.53; Day 8 = 26.31 +- 6.38 pg/ml; p<0.05). While IL-10 level has no significant difference in all groups. The results of this study could be concluded that H.pylori infection induced increase of leukocyte adhesion, as well as TNF-alpha. Aloe vera could reduce those changes through the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine