EFFECT OF TEPRENONE ON PORTAL HYPERTENSIVE GASTRIC-MUCOSA

Teprenone (geranylgeranylacetone) is a gastric mucosal protective drug used clinically in Japan for treatment of gastric ulcers and gastriti s. Its effect on portal hypertensive (PHT) gastric mucosa which has im paired defensive mechanisms is not known. In 20 PHT and 20 sham-operat ed rats, we studied the effects of teprenone or placebo on: (1) portal pressure; (2) gastric pH; (3) gastric mucosal blood flow using laser Doppler flowmetry, and (4) hexosamine content in gastric mucosa. The g astric mucosal blood flow was significantly higher in the PHT + tepren one group than in the PHT + placebo group (463 +/- 75 and 381 +/- 82 p erfusion units, respectively; p < 0.05). The hexosamine content was si gnificantly lower in PHT rats than in sham-operated controls (12.6 +/- 2.3 vs. 14.3 +/- 2.2 mu g/mg, respectively). Teprenone treatment sign ificantly increased the gastric mucosal hexosamine concentration in bo th sham-operated and PHT rats (17.2 +/- 3.1 and 15.6 +/- 3.6 mu g/mg, respectively). These effects of teprenone, combined with its known pro staglandin-stimulating action, suggest a potential role for this agent in the treatment of PHT gastric mucosal abnormalities.