PROPHYLACTIC ACTION OF ALLOPURINOL AGAINST CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED STOMATITIS - INHIBITION OF SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE AND PROTEASES

The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and several proteases wer e measured in kidney of mice treated with allopurinol in order to eluc idate the mechanism of prophylactic action of allopurinol against chem otherapy-induced stomatitis. The following results were obtained, Foll owing 3 day administration of allopurinol 20 mg/day per os (Group C), the concentrations of allopurinol and oxipurinol in the renal tissue w ere 203.9 +/- 52.1 and 1141.7 +/- 194.8 mu g/g, respectively. The SOD activity was significantly lower in Group C than in the untreated cont rol group (p < 0.01), The enzyme activities of papain and trypsin were suppressed in Group C, However, the other proteases tested were not a ffected by the administration of allopurinol, indicating only weak ant i-protease action of allopurinol, These results suggest that allopurin ol may be effective to prevent chemotherapy-associated stomatitis via both direct and indirect actions to oral mucosa, that include inhibito ry actions on xanthine oxidase as well as protease.