Protective effects of phoenixin 14 from the pathological point of view in experimental duodenal ulcer induced by indomethacin in rats

Phoenixin-14 (PNX-14) is a newly identified neuropeptide with potential anti-inflammatory effects in the gastrointestinal tract. This study evaluated the protective effect of PNX-14 against the formation of duodenal ulcers caused by experimental indomethacin (IND). Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups. They include negative control, IND (7.5 mg/kg subcutaneous indomethacin), FAM (7.5 mg/kg subcutaneous indomethacin followed by 40 mg /kg famotidine intraperitoneal), and PNX-14 (7.5 mg/kg subcutaneous indomethacin followed by 50 μg/kg intraperitoneal PNX-14). Outcome measures included macroscopic assessment of duodenal lesions and histopathological parameters. Selected parts of the duodenum were removed and placed in 10% formalin, and hematoxylin and eosin staining were prepared. The macroscopic grade of duodenal lesions in the PNX-14 group was significantly smaller than the IND group (P< 0.001). The components of tissue pathology lesions were significantly increased in the IND group. The wound's diameter and depth and the inflammation intensity in the PNX-14 group were significantly smaller than in the IND group (P<0.001). PNX-14 was superior to the FAM group in reducing inflammation. PNX-14 showed significant protective effects against IND-induced duodenal ulcer formation. These results show a promising therapeutic outcome for PNX-14 in treating inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.