Gastric anti-ulcer and cytoprotective effect of selenium in rats

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-008X(88)90234-7· OSTI ID:5313532

Parmar, N S; Tariq, M; Ageel, A M

Selenium, a trace element, in the form of sodium selenite has been studied for its ability to protect the gastric mucosa against the injuries caused by hypothermic restraint stress, aspirin, indomethacin, reserpine, dimaprit, and various other gastric mucosal-damaging (necrotizing) agents in rats. The results demonstrate that oral administration of sodium selenite produces a significant inhibition of the gastric mucosal damage induced by all the procedures used in this study. Selenium, in a nonantisecretory dose, produced a marked cytoprotective effect against all the necrotizing agents. The cytoprotective effect of selenium against the effects of 80% ethanol and 0.6 M HCl was significantly reversed by prior treatment with a dose of indomethacin that inhibits prostaglandin biosynthesis. These data indicate that sodium selenite inhibits the formation of these lesions by the mucosal generation of prostaglandins. The concentrations of nonprotein sulfhydryls (NP-SH) were significantly decreased in the gastric mucosa following the administration of necrotizing agents--80% ethanol and 0.6 M HCl. Treatment with sodium selenite, which significantly reduced the intensity of gastric lesions, did not replenish the reduced levels of gastric mucosal NP-SH, thus ruling out the mediation of its protective effect through sulfhydryls. The antisecretory effect of sodium selenite, which becomes evident only in the high dose of 20 mumol/kg, may be responsible for the inhibition of gastric lesions induced by aspirin, indomethacin, reserpine, and dimaprit. Our findings show that selenium possesses significant anti-ulcer and adaptive cytoprotective effects. However, further detailed studies are required to confirm these effects, to establish its mechanism(s) of action, and to determine its role in the prophylaxis and treatment of peptic ulcer disease.

• Research Organization: King Saud Univ., Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
• OSTI ID: 5313532
• Journal Information: Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.; (United States), Journal Name: Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.; (United States) Vol. 92:1; ISSN TXAPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALOIDS
ANIMALS
ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENTS
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
AZAARENES
AZOLES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BODY FLUIDS
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
GASTRIC ACID
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INDOLES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MEMBRANES
MUCOUS MEMBRANES
NARCOTICS
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PROSTAGLANDINS
PYRROLES
RATS
RESERPINE
RODENTS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SYMPATHOLYTICS
SYNTHESIS
TRACE AMOUNTS
VERTEBRATES