Gastric mucosal cytoprotection in the rat by naftidrofuryl oxalate

Ischaemic gastric mucosal injury was assessed in the rat by measurement of the area of the injury produced after 6 h by reserpine (5 mg kg-1 i.p.) or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (50 mg kg-1 i.p.). Pretreatment with naftidrofuryl 1 mL, 1% by gavage significantly (P less than 0.001) protected the rat stomach against the reserpine (24 +/- 2.7 mm2 vs 40 +/- 4.7 mm2, mean +/- s.e.m., n = 10) and 5-HT injury (11.4 +/- 1.7 mm2 vs 27 +/- 4.1 mm2, mean +/- s.e.m., n = 10). Naftidrofuryl 1 mL 2% by gavage was more effective (P less than 0.001) in this respect and mucosal injury only developed in 50% of rats injected with reserpine (9.4 +/- 1.1 mm2) and 30% of those injected with 5-HT (3.2 +/- 0.4 mm2). Administration of naftidrofuryl 1 mL 5% by gavage completely protected the rat against both the reserpine- and 5-HT-induced acute gastric mucosal injury. This protection was not associated with any significant influence on the H+ output.