Protective effect of amoxycillin on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats

Recent studies have suggested that amoxycillin may possess gastroprotective effects in addition to its known antimicrobial properties. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the potential gastric protective effects of amoxycillin and to determine its possible mechanism(s) of action in rats. Ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats were used as an animal model. Nonprotein sulphydryl levels were measured spectrophotometrically. The antioxidant effect of amoxycillin was studied by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence technique in-vitro. Amoxycillin produced marked protection against ethanol-induced gastric lesions. The protective effect of amoxycillin was lost by prior treatment with a dose of indomethacin that is known to inhibit prostaglandin biosynthesis without induction of gastric ulcers. Furthermore, the concentration of nonprotein sulphydryls decreased significantly in gastric mucosa after administration of ethanol. Treatment with amoxycillin prevented this depletion. Additionally, amoxycillin dose-dependently inhibited the phorbol myristate acetate stimulated luminol dependent chemiluminescence responses of isolated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in-vitro. These data indicate that the gastric protection effects of amoxycillin against ethanol-induced lesions may include generation of mucosal prostaglandins, prevention of nonprotein of sulphydryl depletion and antioxidant properties.