GASTRIC CYTOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF DEHYDROLEUCODINE IN RATS. ROLE OF NITRIC OXIDE

• Published in: Pharmacological research Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 281 - 284
• Main Authors: MARIA, A.O.M., WENDEL, G.H., GUZMAN, J.A., GIORDANO, O.S., GUERREIRO, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.04.1998
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents - pharmacology; Arginine - pharmacology; Central Nervous System Depressants; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Ethanol; Female; gastric cytoprotection, dehydroleucodine, nitric oxide (NO); Indomethacin; Lactones - pharmacology; Male; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide - physiology; Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitroarginine - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitroarginine - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control; gastric cytoprotection, dehydroleucodine, nitric oxide (NO)
• ISSN: 1043-6618; 1096-1186
• DOI: 10.1006/phrs.1998.0291

Previously we reported that dehydroleucodine (DhL), a sesquiterpene lactone, shows gastric and duodenal cytoprotective activity. The mechanism is not mediated by antiacid secretory action; DhL stimulated mucus production and indomethacin pretreatment reduced cytoprotective action. In the present study we demonstrated that the gastric cytoprotective effect is antagonized by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor,NG-nitro-l-arginine. The inhibitory action ofNG-nitro-l-arginine is reversed byL-arginine, but notD-arginine. The findings suggest that NO is involved in the gastroprotection induced by DhL.