The effect of liraglutide, a GLP-1 analog, on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in diabetic rats.

PURPOSE: To investigate the potential pleiotropic effects of liraglutide (LG), a glucagon-like-peptide-1 analog, on gastric ulcer prevention in rats with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ).

METHODS

We randomly divided 63 male Wistar rats into seven groups. STZ was administered intraperitoneally (IP) to the animals in the diabetic control (group STZ), diabetic control + indomethacin (INDO) (group STZI), STZ + INDO + omeprazole (group OMP), STZ + INDO + LG (0.2 mg/kg) (group 0.2LG), and STZ + INDO + LG (0.4 mg/kg) group (group 0.4LG). We administered OMP IP to group OMP, 0.2 mg/kg LG to group 0.2LG SC, 0.4 mg/kg LG to group 0.4LG SC, normal saline to non-diabetic control (sham group), group STZ, non-diabetic control + INDO (group KI), and group STZI SC. INDO was administered to the animals in groups KI, STZI, OMP, 0.2LG, and 0.4LG by gavage. Then, the caspase-3, epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were studied.

RESULTS

LG prevented INDO-induced ulcers and decreased apoptosis in the stomach tissue. It increased the SOD-1, GSH, EGF, VEGF-A, and PGE2 levels, and reduced the MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α levels. The anti-ulcer effect of LG was lower, but close to that of OMP.

CONCLUSION

The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects of LG, its ability to regulate EGF, VEGF-A, and PGE2 levels, and its capacity to reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic rats may contribute to its anti-ulcer effect.