PROSTAGLANDINS AND NITRIC OXIDE IN COPPER-COMPLEX MEDIATED PROTECTION AGAINST ETHANOL-INDUCED GASTRIC DAMAGE

• Published in: Pharmacological research Vol. 36; no. 5; pp. 395 - 399
• Main Authors: FRANCO, LUIGINA, DORIA, DENISE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.11.1997
• Subjects: Animals; copper-complex; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Dinoprostone - antagonists & inhibitors; Dinoprostone - physiology; Dipeptides - antagonists & inhibitors; Dipeptides - therapeutic use; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Ethanol; Gastric Mucosa - drug effects; Gastric Mucosa - metabolism; Gastric Mucosa - pathology; gastroprotection; Indomethacin - pharmacology; Male; nitric oxide (NO); Nitric Oxide - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitric Oxide - physiology; Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitroarginine - pharmacology; Organometallic Compounds - antagonists & inhibitors; Organometallic Compounds - therapeutic use; prostaglandins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Stomach Diseases - chemically induced; Stomach Diseases - physiopathology; Stomach Diseases - prevention & control; prostaglandins; nitric oxide (NO); gastroprotection; ethanol; copper-complex
• ISSN: 1043-6618; 1096-1186
• DOI: 10.1006/phrs.1997.0247

This study was designed to determine the effects of oral administration of the copper(II) complex of aminoacids, on gastric lesions induced by ethanol in rats and the possible mechanism(s) of protection. The copper(II) complex ofl-tryptophan andl-phenylalanine is reported as the most effective in reducing ulcer numbers as well as ulcer severity of the many amino acid complexes studied. We investigated the role of PGE2and nitric oxide (NO) in the protection afforded by Cu(II)(l-Trp)(l-Phe) against ethanol-induced damage. The involvement of endogenous eicosanoids and NO was evaluated with the respective inhibitors of prostaglandin and NO synthesis, indomethacin andNG-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA).Ex vivoPGE2accumulation in the rat gastric mucosa has also been determined. Pretreatment with indomethacin only partially counteracted the protective activity of Cu(II)(l-Trp)(l-Phe).l-NNA did not attenuate the protection by Cu(II)(l-Trp)(l-Phe), which was reduced but not prevented by indomethacin, suggesting that prostanoids contribute to the Cu(II)(l-Trp)(l-Phe) protective effect, together with some mechanism(s) other than NO synthesis