Sulfhydryl Compounds May Mediate Gastric Cytoprotection

Abstract

Ethanol induces hemorrhagic gastric erosions and causes a dose-dependent decrease in the concentration of nonprotein sulfhydryl compounds in rat gastric mucosa. Sulfhydryl-containing drugs protect rats from ethanol-induced gastric erosions, whereas sulfhydryl blocking agents counteract the mucosal cytoprotective effect of prostaglandin F2 beta. These observations suggest that endogenous nonprotein sulfhydryls may mediate prostaglandin-induced gastric cytoprotection and that sulfhydryl drugs may have potential for preventing or treating hemorrhagic gastric erosions.