The potential protective and beneficial effect of rutin (RTN) against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal erosion
(gastritis) in rats was evaluated. Fourty male albino rats were divided into four groups. Control group received no
drugs, gastritis group administered with a single oral dose of 1 ml/rat of absolute ethanol, gastritis + RTN
protected group received RTN (200 mg/kg body weight/day) orally for 14 days prior ethanol administration and
gastritis + RTN treated group received RTN and the treatment was continued for 7 days later. Blood samples and
gastric tissue were collected for determination of some serum and gastric tissues parameters and histopathological
examination. The obtained results showed a significant decrease in serum nitric oxide (NO), sialic acid (SA), and
gastric tissue GSH, vitamin C concentrations and GPX, SOD, GR and CAT activities in gastritis induced rats. However,
myeloperoxidase (MPO) and cyclooxygenase II (COX-2) activities, nuclear factor kappa B p65(NF-KB p65), tumor
necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), L- Malondialdehyde (L-MDA) and
DNA-fragmentation were significantly increased. Administration of RTN was capable to alleviate gastritis induced
by ethanol through increasing of NO, SA, GSH, vitamin C concentrations, GPx, SOD, GR, CAT activities in addition to
reducing NF-KB p65, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, L-MDA, DNA-fragmentation concentrations and MPO, COX-2 activities.
Additionally, several pathological variations were verified in gastric tissues of rats in group II. Remarkably, the
severity of these alterations was reduced in both Group III and IV with variable degree. These results suggest the
gastroprotective activity of RTN in ethanol gastric injury which were mediated via suppression of gastric
inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis besides enhancing of the antioxidant and the cytoprotective defenses