Fridericia chica standardized extract combined with tocotrienol-enriched fraction from Bixa orellana promotes gastric mucosal protection: in vitro combination selection and in vivo evaluation

Context Fridericia chica (Bonpl.) L.G. Lohmann is a medicinal plant rich in bioactive 3-deoxyanthocyanidins with reported wound-healing and gastroprotective properties. A 70% tocotrienol-enriched fraction (TRF) from Bixa orellana L. exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities that may complement those of F. chica in gastric mucosal protection.Objective This study aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective and gastric tissue-repair effects of the F. chica–TRF combination.Materials and methods Dry F. chica standardized crude extract alone or combined with TRF at different proportions was tested in vitro in HaCaT keratinocytes and 3T3 fibroblasts to assess cell viability and select a suitable combination ratio for subsequent in vivo investigation. The selected ratio was then investigated in acute and chronic gastric ulcer models in female Wistar rats.Results Among the proportions tested in vitro, the 90:10 (F. chica:TRF) ratio showed the most favorable cell-viability profile and was selected for in vivo evaluation. The combination reduced gastric lesions and significantly increased gastric mucus production. In the chronic ulcer model, treatment was associated with reduced TNF-α and IL-1β levels and increased IL-10 levels. Histopathological and second-harmonic generation analyses qualitatively indicated mucosal preservation, tissue organization, and collagen deposition.Conclusions The F. chica–TRF combination exhibited gastroprotective effects associated with increased mucus production and modulation of inflammatory mediators. Qualitative morphological findings further indicated preservation of gastric tissue architecture and collagen organization, supporting the potential of this combination as a natural product-based approach to gastric mucosal protection.