Abstract
A rhamnogalacturonan (RGal) isolated from Acmella oleracea (L.) R.K. Jansen administered by oral route showed
gastroprotective activity against acute lesions induced by ethanol. In this study, we investigated the gastric ulcer healing
effect of RGal and its mechanisms of action. Intraperitoneal treatment of animals with RGal protected the gastric mucosa
against acute lesions induced by ethanol, with participation of gastric mucus. Furthermore, in the chronic ulcer model, oral
administration of RGal accelerates the gastric ulcer healing, accompanied by increasing of cellular proliferation and gastric
mucus content, reducing inflammatory parameters and oxidative stress. In addition, the repeated 7 days-treatment of
animals with RGal did not show alterations of clinical and behavioral symptoms, body and organs weights or plasmatic
biochemical parameters. Collectively, these results showed that RGal has an interesting antiulcerogenic activity and could
constitute an attractive molecule of interest for the development of new antiulcer agents.