N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester is protective against ethanol-induced gastric damage in cholestatic rats

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 370; no. 3; p. 283
• Main Authors: Nahavandi, A, Dehpour, A R, Mani, A R, Homayounfar, H, Abdoli, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 16-04-1999
• Subjects: Alkaline Phosphatase - blood; Animals; Arginine - pharmacology; Bile Ducts - surgery; Cholestasis; Drug Interactions; Drug Synergism; Ethanol - toxicity; Gastric Mucosa - drug effects; Ligation; Male; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester - pharmacology; Nitrates - blood; Nitric Oxide - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitrites - blood; Rats
• ISSN: 0014-2999
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-2999(99)00168-5

In this study the effect of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibition on ethanol-induced gastric damage was evaluated in bile duct-ligated, sham-operated and unoperated rats. The animals were injected intraperitoneally with saline, L-arginine (200 mg/kg) or N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) in doses of 5, 15 and 30 mg/kg, 30 min before ethanol administration. The animals were killed 1 h after ethanol administration and their stomachs were removed for measurement of gastric mucosal damage. The results showed that L-NAME significantly enhanced the development of gastric mucosal lesions in sham-operated and unoperated rats, while in bile duct-ligated animals, L-NAME decreased and L-arginine enhanced the potentiation of ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage. The plasma level of nitrite and nitrate was also measured and was significantly higher in bile duct-ligated rats than in control groups. The results suggest that inhibition of NO synthase with L-NAME has different effects on ethanol-induced gastric damage in cholestatic groups and in normal rats and that these effects can be explained by overproduction of NO in bile duct-ligated animals.