Computer-aided evaluation of gastric proteoglycans by high-resolution gas chromatography

A convenient procedure is described for the simultaneous separation and identification of monosaccharides and aminomonosaccharides constituting the proteoglycans of gastric mucosa. Computer assistance was used to obtain significant information from gas chromatographic data on proteoglycan modifications induced by anti-inflammatory drugs. Glass capillary chromatography was used for the separation and identification of saccharides and aminomonosaccharides of hydrolyzed mucus samples scraped from the stomachs of control and treated rats. The data, transmitted to a 48 K personal computer, were processed to obtain three-dimensional probability density functions or subjected to factor analysis to evaluate the suitability of the method to evidence modifications at the proteoglycan level induced by drugs, orally administered to rats. Indomethacin, zolimidine and acetylsalicylic acid were used as models for the applications.