A team of researchers from South Korea looked at the gastroprotective effects of BST-104, a water extract of Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), in rat models of gastritis and peptic ulcer. The research team published their findings in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

• The team induced gastritis and gastric ulcer in rats. They then orally administered BST-104, chlorogenic acid, rebamipide (positive control), or placebo to each animal model.
• After that, they measured the animals’ gastric lesion sizes, gastric mucus statuses, proinflammatory cytokine levels, and oxidative stress.
• In the acetic acid-induced ulcer model, oral administration of BST-104 at 50, 100, or 200?mg/kg significantly reduced gastric lesions by 38 percent, 43 percent, and 55 percent, respectively, compared with placebo controls.
• Treatment with BST-104 also significantly increased gastric mucous contents, which was accompanied by higher levels of hexosamine, sialic acid, and prostaglandin E2 in gastric mucus.
• Furthermore, BST-104 treatment increased antioxidant activities, as levels of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, and lower malondialdehyde increased.
• BST-104 also significantly suppressed proinflammatory increases and greatly reduced NF-?B expression.

Taken together, the findings of the study suggested that BST-104 and its active component, chlorogenic acid, exhibited gastroprotective effects because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Journal Reference:

Bang BW, Park D, Kwon KS, Lee DH, Jang MJ, Park SK, Kim JY. BST-104, A WATER EXTRACT OF LONICERA JAPONICA, HAS A GASTROPROTECTIVE EFFECT VIA ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES. Journal of Medicinal Food. 23 March 2019; 22(2): 140-151. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2018.4231