diamide and Stomach-Ulcer

Following our studies on the gastroprotective effect and cytotoxicity of terpene derivatives, new amides were prepared from the diterpene 8(17)-labden-15,19-dioic acid (junicedric acid) and its 8(9)-en isomer with C-protected amino acids (amino acid esters). The new compounds were evaluated for their gastroprotective effect in the ethanol/HCl-induced gastric lesions model in mice, as well as for cytotoxicity using the following human cell lines: normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5), gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS) and liver hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep G2). A dose-response experiment showed that at 25 mg/kg the C-15 leucyl and C-15,19-dileucylester amides of junicedric acid reduced gastric lesions by about 65.6 and 49.6%, respectively, with an effect comparable to lansoprazole at 20 mg/kg (79.3% lesion reduction). The comparison of the gastroprotective effect of 18 new amino acid ester amides was carried out at a single oral dose of 25 mg/kg. Several compounds presented a strong gastroprotective effect, reducing gastric lesions in the 70.9-87.8% range. The diprolyl derivative of junicedric acid, the most active product of this study (87.8% lesion reduction at 25 mg/kg) presented a cytotoxicity value comparable with that of the reference compound lansoprazole. The structure-activity relationships are discussed.

Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Cell Line; Diamide; Diterpene Alkaloids; Diterpenes; Ethanol; Gastric Mucosa; Humans; Male; Mice; Molecular Structure; Stomach Ulcer

We examined the role of reduced glutathione as a defense mechanism against acid-induced gastric mucosal cell damage in vitro. Cellular stores of reduced glutathione were depleted by reaction with diethyl maleate (DEM) or 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and increased by reaction with L-cysteine. Depletion of cellular glutathione by reaction with DEM or CDNB potentiated gastric mucosal cell lysis by acid. Increase of cellular glutathione by L-cysteine decreased cell lysis by acid. Altering the cellular reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio by tert-butyl hydroperoxide or diamide increased cellular susceptibility to acid. Reduced glutathione is essential for glutathione peroxidase to catalyze hydrogen peroxide. We further studied whether oxygen free radicals were involved in the pathogenesis of acid-induced gastric mucosal injury in vitro. Neither superoxide dismutase, catalase, nor dimethyl sulfoxide decreased acid-induced gastric mucosal cell damage. We conclude that reduced glutathione plays an important role as a defense mechanism against acid-induced injury in cultured rat gastric mucosal cells. Production of oxygen radical in response to acid exposure may occur intracellularly, since exogenous oxygen radical scavengers, which do not gain access to the interior of cells, had no protective effect. Reduced glutathione might protect gastric mucosal cells by mechanisms other than the elimination of oxygen free radicals.

Topics: Acids; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Catalase; Cells, Cultured; Cysteine; Diamide; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Dinitrochlorobenzene; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Glutathione; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Male; Maleates; Oxidation-Reduction; Peroxides; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Stomach Ulcer; Superoxide Dismutase; tert-Butylhydroperoxide