Gastric anti-ulcer and cytoprotective effect of selenium in rats

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 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), Vol. 92:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MUCOUS MEMBRANES
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
PROSTAGLANDINS
BIOSYNTHESIS
SELENIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
GASTRIC ACID
NARCOTICS
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
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DRUGS
ELEMENTS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INDOLES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MEMBRANES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRROLES
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560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology