Fuente: PubMed "essential oil" J Ethnopharmacol. 2026 May 30:121947. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2026.121947. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Piper aduncum is a shrub native to tropical regions of the Americas and popularly known as "aperta-ruão," "pimenta-de-macaco," and "jaborandi." In traditional medicine, its leaves are commonly used to relieve gastric pain and gastrointestinal discomfort.AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the chemical composition and gastroprotective activity of the essential oil obtained from Piper aduncum leaves, as well as the biochemical pathways involved in its protective effect.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Leaves of Piper aduncum were collected in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, and the essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation. Chemical characterization was performed by chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Gastroprotective activity was evaluated in female Swiss mice using gastric ulcer models induced by absolute ethanol, acidified ethanol (ethanol/HCl), and indomethacin. Animals were treated orally with essential oil (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg), saline solution, or lansoprazole. Gastric lesions were quantified by macroscopic analysis using ImageJ. Mechanistic studies were conducted using pharmacological blockers, and histopathological analysis.RESULTS: The essential oil yield was 0.83% (w/w), with dillapiole (69.65%) as the major constituent. The oil showed significant gastroprotective activity, with inhibition of approximately 78% in the absolute ethanol model at 200 mg/kg, 83.59% in the acidified ethanol model, and 91.32% in the indomethacin-induced ulcer model. Mechanistic studies indicated the involvement of nitric oxide synthase, sulfhydryl compounds, and α2-adrenergic receptors.CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that Piper aduncum essential oil exhibits significant gastroprotective activity mediated by multiple biochemical mechanisms, highlighting its potential as a natural therapeutic candidate for gastric mucosal protection.PMID:42219069 | DOI:10.1016/j.jep.2026.121947