SUCRALFATE PROTECTION AGAINST ETHANOL-INDUCED INJURY OF RAT GASTRIC-MUCOSA INVITRO AND INVIVO

Abstract

A number of mechanisms for sucralfate protection of gastric mucosa during ulcer healing and protection from experimental injury have been proposed. One currently held postulate that sucralfate acts by inhibiting acid/pepsin attack and creating, at acid pH, a barrier to diffusion of hydrogen ions was tested. The experiments took advantage of a cultured rat antral mucosal model in which ethanol injury is assessed by release of radiolabel from 51chromiumloaded mucosa. In this model, with mucosa cultured in the absence of pepsin activity at a neutral pH, sucralfate conferred marked protection; specific 51chromium release fell from 12.4% (s.e.m. = 0.7) in controls to 8.9% (s.e.m. = 0.9) at 0.5 mg..