Sucralfate protection against gastrointestinal damage: possible role of prostanoids

The protective effect of sucralfate against gastric and intestinal mucosal damage was studied in rats. Sucralfate (125 mg) significantly reduced gastric mucosal lesion formation induced by s.c. administration of indomethacin (30 mg/kg) or intragastric administration of aspirin (100 mg/kg), HCl (0.6 N), NaOH (0.2 N) or sodium taurocholate (30 mM). Furthermore, when given in three doses of 125 mg each, sucralfate significantly decreased the development of small intestinal lesions induced by indomethacin in the re-fed rat. Gastric mucosal cyclooxygenase activity in sucralfate-treated rats expressed as prostaglandin E2 formation--388 +/- 140 (ng/g wet weight; mean +/- SE)--was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) than its activity in the control--264 +/- 62 (ng/g wet weight). Sucralfate also slightly, but significantly, decreased indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal cyclooxygenase inhibition. Intestinal mucosal cyclooxygenase activity was not affected by sucralfate. The results suggest that gastric and intestinal mucosal damage induced by various ulcerogens is significantly reduced by sucralfate. Sucralfate-induced stimulation of endogenous gastric mucosal prostanoid formation may in part explain its effective protective properties.