Effect of GABA and baclofen on gastric mucosal protective factors

GABA and baclofen (BAC), a GABA-mimetic agent, were investigated for antiulcerogenic activity. Orally administered GABA (100 mg/kg) and BAC (10 mg/kg) showed significant ulcer protection when given either alone for one day or for 4 days, or when given together with aspirin (ASP; 200 mg/kg x 3 days) in their 4 days treatment time in pylorus-ligated rats. Both the drugs showed a tendency to increase acid and decrease peptic output, and increased gastric mucus secretion in terms of total carbohydrate to protein ratio (TC:P) in both the above treatment groups. ASP tended to decrease acid and increase peptic output and significantly decreased TC:P ratio. Both GABA and BAC tended to reverse aspirin-induced effects, though they had little per se effect on TC:P ratio of gastric mucosal glycoproteins except an increase in sialic acid content both after one day or four days treatment. No, per se, effect on cell shedding (DNA and protein content of gastric juice) or cell proliferation (DNA/mg protein) was noted with GABA or BAC but the enhanced cell shedding induced by ASP was attenuated by them. ASP was found to enhance cell proliferation. However, neither of drug showed any effect on cell proliferation when given either alone or in combination with ASP. The antiulcerogenic effect of GABA and BAC may be due to their predominant effects on mucosal defensive factors like enhanced mucin secretion and decreased cell shedding or mucosal damage.