lafutidine and Gastritis

Lafutidine is a novel histamine H(2)-receptor antagonist used primarily as an antisecretory agent in Japan. Previous human studies have not assessed its gastroprotective effects. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of lafutidine on the human gastric mucus layer using both histological and biochemical methods.. Of the 14 patients scheduled for gastrectomy who consented to participate, seven were given 14 days of lafutidine 20 mg/day (lafutidine group) and the others received no medication (control group). The surface mucus gel layer in Carnoy-fixed tissue sections was examined immunohistochemically. Both the thickness of the mucus layer and its mucin content were measured in gastric corpus mucosa.. There was no detectable difference between the groups in the grade of gastritis or the immunohistochemical staining characteristics. The laminated structure of the surface mucus gel layer was retained after administration of lafutidine and it was thicker than the layer in the control group. The surface layer in the lafutidine group had three-fold more mucin than that in the control group. There was no difference between the two groups in the mucin content of the deep mucosa.. Lafutidine, given at clinical dosages, not only inhibits acid secretion but also strengthens the mucus barrier of the human gastric mucosa.

Topics: Acetamides; Administration, Oral; Adult; Aged; Anti-Ulcer Agents; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Gastritis; Histamine H2 Antagonists; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mucus; Piperidines; Pyridines; Severity of Illness Index; Stomach Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome

Oral administration of an ammonia solution (0.01%) or a sodium taurocholate solution (TCA solution, 5 mM) as drinking water for 4 weeks or 13 weeks, respectively, resulted in gastric mucosal thinning and decreased parietal cell numbers. Oral administration of TCA solution also caused cell infiltration in the lamina propria of the mucosa and mucosal fibrosis. When lafutidine (3, 10 mg/kg) was administered orally once daily for one week after the withdrawal of ammonia or TCA solution, the recovery of the mucosal thickness in the fundic gland area and the parietal cell number were significantly accelerated, and the recovery of mucosal thickness in the pyloric gland area also tended to be accelerated. Lafutidine at 10 mg/kg for 1 week had no influence on normal mucosal thickness and parietal cell numbers. At the doses that produce equal or greater acid antisecretory effect than lafutidine, oral administration of cimetidine (30 mg/kg) and famotidine (1 mg/kg) had no effect on either of these atrophy indexes. These results demonstrate that lafutidine, unlike cimetidine and famotidine, can accelerate the healing of mucosal injuries in ammonia- and TCA-induced chronic gastritis models.

Topics: Acetamides; Ammonia; Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents; Cell Count; Chronic Disease; Cimetidine; Famotidine; Gastric Mucosa; Gastritis; Humans; Male; Parietal Cells, Gastric; Piperidines; Pyridines; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Taurocholic Acid