Abstract
Objective: Stress is one of the major factors that cause various pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. The present study investigated the effects of palm vitamin E (PVE) and ?-tocopherol (?-TF) on gastric motility using water-immersion.restraint stress (WRS) model.
Design: Sixty male Sprague-Doyley rats.(200-250 gm) were divided to three equal size groups; a control group was given a normal diet, second group administered 60 mg/kg/d of PVE or vehicle only for 28 days. Another group of rats receiving ?-TF was also included for comparison. At the end of the treatment period, half of the rats from each group were subjected to WRS for 3.5 hours.. Blood, was sampled to measure the level of acetylcholine (ACh) product after. which the measurement of gastric motility by electrogastrogram was carried out. The rats were sacrificed and the stomachs were then examined for lesions.
Results: WRS increased plasma ACh product levels, gastric motility and lesions. PVE or ?-TF was able to reduce ACh product levels, gastric motility and lesions.
Conclusion: PVE and ?-TF were able to. reduce the gastric lesions possibly by blocking the increase in the ACh level and gastric motility induced by stress.