Protein concentrations were measured using a DC Protein Assay kit (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA). Five μL of standards and protein samples were transferred to a 96-well plate and 25 μL of alkaline copper tartrate solution containing Reagent S was added to each

well. Then 200 μL of dilute Folin Reagent was added to each well and the 96-well plate was incubated at room temperature. After 15 min, the protein concentrations were measured at 750 nm using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reader (Synergy2; Biotek, Winooski, VT, USA). Each protein was denatured with 5× sample buffer and boiled for 5 min. Each protein was then learn more fractionated by electrophoresis through a 10% SDS polyacrylamide gel at 100 V for 2 h, and the proteins were transferred onto polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes at 100 V for

60 min. Each membrane was blocked with TBST buffer (10 mM Tris–HCl, pH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 0.1% Tween-20) containing 5% bovine serum albumin (BSA) for 1 h and then incubated with primary antibodies (mouse anti-Bax and rabbit anti-Bcl2 antibodies) in TBST buffer containing 1% BSA at 4°C overnight. The membranes were washed three times with TBST buffer and further incubated with antimouse and anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) secondary antibodies conjugated with horseradish peroxidase for 2 h, respectively. Each membrane was filmed with a chemiluminescent imaging AZD2014 mouse system (Fusion SL2; Vilber Lourmat), and analyzed using Bio1d software (Vilber Lourmat). Data are presented as means ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range tests. A p value those <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. For all analyses, a commercially available statistical package software was used (SPSS version 19; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The degree of mucosal damage was examined by histological examination

with PAS. The mucus secretion was quantified with alcian blue and hexosamine methods. PAS staining results are shown in Fig. 1. The apical surface of the mucous cells in normal rats was strongly stained with PAS (arrows in Fig. 1A) indicating intact gastric mucosa layer. However, PAS reaction was significantly reduced in surface cells of the control group (arrows in Fig. 1B) showing diffusive erosion of the gastric mucosal cell layer in these rats. PAS reaction increased in famotidine (arrows in Fig. 1C)- and ginsenoside Re (arrows in Fig. 1D)-treated rats compared with the control group, suggesting an increase in mucus secretion and alleviation of the erosion in the gastric mucosal cell layer in these groups. A significant decrease in adherent gastric mucus content was seen in C48/80-induced gastric lesion control rats compared with normal rats (Table 1). Pre-administration with famotidine and ginsenoside Re significantly attenuated the decrease in adherent gastric mucus content.