MORPHOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN GASTROINTESTINAL TISSUES AND POSSIBILITIES OF PHARMACOLOGICAL MODIFICATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/3083-7324/2026.3.4Keywords:
oxidative stress, mucosa, stomach, intestine, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant system, proton pump inhibitors, Helicobacter pyloriAbstract
Oxidative stress is regarded as one of the key universal mechanisms underlying damage to the gastric and intestinal mucosa, contributing to the development of inflammatory, erosive-ulcerative, and degenerative processes in the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract. An imbalance between the excessive production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and the insufficiency of endogenous antioxidant defense systems leads to lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes, oxidative modification of proteins and DNA, disruption of the epithelial barrier function, and activation of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways. As a result, the mucosa undergoes a complex of morphological alterations, including enterocyte destruction, neutrophilic infiltration, crypt abscess formation, impaired microcirculation, and activation of apoptotic cascades. Experimental models of oxidative stress, including induction by D-galactose, chemical agents, or ischemia-reperfusion, make it possible to reproduce structural and functional alterations of the mucosa and to evaluate the contribution of molecular mechanisms, particularly the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction
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