INTRODUCTION Salivary biomarkers are suggested to provide a reliable, noninvasive and objective measurement of chronic psychosocial stress and helps in assessment of pivotal role of stress in causation or precipitation of multitude of health problems. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the usefulness of salivary alpha amylase activity as an objective indicator of chronic stress and to find out any correl...

Ghrelin has been primarily shown to exhibit protective and therapeutic effect in the gut. Pretreatment with ghrelin inhibits the development of acute pancreatitis and accelerates pancreatic recovery in the course of this disease. In the stomach, ghrelin reduces gastric mucosal damage induced by ethanol, stress or alendronate, as well as accelerates the healing of acetic acid-induced gastric and...

Stress ulcer lesions of upper gastrointestinal tract are well recognized in patients undergoing open cardiac surgery. Gastrointestinal bleeding following cardiac surgery is infrequent with significant morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of mucosal lesions and subsequent haemorrhage is complex and multifactorial. The diagnosis as well as the treatment of this complication remains a challen...

Olive leaf extract (OLE) possesses, among other, antioxidative properties, but whether it influences gastroprotection against stress-induced gastric lesions remains unknown. In this study we investigated the protective effect of OLE, a natural antioxidant, on gastric mucosal damage induced by cold restraint stress (CRS) in rats. Three different doses of commercial OLE EFLA((R)) 943 were applied...

INTRODUCTION A number of issues concerning stress ulcer prophylaxis remain unresolved despite numerous randomized, controlled trials and several meta-analyses. The role of stress ulcer prophylaxis, particularly in trauma patients, is further complicated by the lack of trials utilizing clinically important bleeding as an endpoint. Given the lack of consensus regarding stress ulcer prophylaxis in...

Stress has been defined as an acute threat to the homeostasis of the organism. The mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, a single layer of epithelial cells held together by tight junctions, provides a barrier between the external environment and the body's internal milieu. Any mechanism that breaches the tight junction exposes the body to foreign material be it protein, microorganisms o...

The rabies virus is transmitted through exposure to infected saliva during either a bite or direct contact with mucosal tissues. Infection with this virus results in a progressive encephalitis, ultimately leading to coma, end-organ damage, and death. Because rabies-associated mortality is strikingly high, preventing viral transmission associated with an exposure is paramount. Fortunately, 2 ava...

Stress-related mucosal disease is common in critically ill patients and can result in significant morbidity. The pathophysiology of this condition is multifactorial but mucosal ischaemia and gastric acid have pivotal roles. The major risk factors for developing stress-related mucosal bleeding are prolonged mechanical ventilation and coagulopathy. The mainstay of clinical management is preventio...