Misoprostol in peptic ulcer disease

Misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) methyl ester analog has potent antisecretory and cytoprotective effects on the gastric and duodenal mucosa which should make it an effective drug in the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcer. In two multicenter, randomised, double-blind, controlled studies involving over 900 patients with endoscopically proven benign gastric ulcer and in six similar studies involving over 2000 patients with active duodenal ulcers, differing doses of misoprostol have been compared with either placebo therapy or with conventional doses of cimetidine. In these studies misoprostol 800 mcg daily given as two or four divided doses has been shown to produce rates of complete ulcer healing and pain relief which were significantly superior to placebo therapy and comparable to those achieved with cimetidine. Drug related adverse effects were infrequent. A dose related diarrhea occurred in a small proportion of patients which seldom necessitated suspension of therapy. Because of the known uterotropic effect of prostaglandins the drug should not be used in pregnant women or women of child bearing age unless they are using adequate contraceptive measures. No clinically significant adverse, hematological or biochemical effects have been reported. Two studies suggested that misoprostol reduced the adverse effect of smoking on the healing of duodenal ulcer. In addition, misoprostol has been shown to protect the gastro-duodenal mucosa from the damaging effects of alcohol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This action may prove of value in the treatment of ulcer patients who are inveterate smokers, alcohol users or who are compelled to consume non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief from rheumatic and allied diseases.