Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 80 (3), 229-235 (1999)


Antiulcer Effect of Lafutidine on Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Antral Ulcers in Refed Rats

Sadayoshi Onodera, Masato Tanaka, Misao Aoyama, Yoko Arai, Niro Inaba,
Takao Suzuki, Akiko Nishizawa, Masahiro Shibata and Yasuo Sekine


Pharmaceuticals Research Laboratories, Fujirebio Inc., 51 Komiya-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0031, Japan

Abstract: Lafutidine is a new type antiulcer agent with antisecretory and gastroprotective activities. We investigated the effect of lafutidine on indomethacin-induced antral ulcer refed rats. Subcutaneous indomethacin injection resulted in the formation of gastric antral ulcer. Lafutidine (1 - 10 mg/kg, p.o.)
reduced the area of ulcer in a dose-dependent manner when administered immediately after the indomethacin injection. Capsaicin at 3 mg/kg, p.o. and 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 at 3 microgram/kg, p.o. also
reduced the ulcer area. Chemical deafferentation of capsaicin-sensitive neurons or NG-nitro-L-arginine
treatment aggravated the ulcer formation and abolished the preventive effect of lafutidine and capsaicin.
After the induction of gastric ulcer, lafutidine given twice daily for 2.5 days reduced the area of ulcer in a
dose-dependent manner with a significant effect at 10 mg/kg, p.o., as compared with that of the control
group. In chemically-deafferentated rats, lafutidine did not show any healing effect. Cimetidine (30 mg/kg,
p.o.) and famotidine (1 mg/kg, p.o.) had no significant effect on indomethacin-induced antral ulcer. These
results may suggest that lafutidine, unlike cimetidine and famotidine, can prevent the indomethacin-
induced antral ulcer formation and accelerate the healing of the ulcer in refed rats through mechanisms
involving the capsaicin-sensitive afferent neurons and nitric oxide.

Keywords: Lafutidine, Indomethacin, Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs-induced ulcer,
Capsaicin-sensitive neuron, Histamine H2-receptor antagonist


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1999

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