THE POTENTIAL SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF CALCIUM-CHANNEL BLOCKERS AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL ON GASTRIC-MUCOSAL INJURY-INDUCED BY ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION

Methods and results: Acute oral administration of various doses of alp ha-tocopherol (100, 600, 1200 mg/kg by mouth) produced a dose dependen t and significant protection of mucosal injury induced by ischaemia-re perfusion injury in experimental animals. In addition, intraperitoneal administration of calcium channel blockers, nifedipine (0.5, 1, 3 mg/ kg), diltiazem (1.25, 2.5 mg/kg) and verapamil (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg ) protected gastric mucosa in ischaemia-reperfusion. alpha-Tocopherol (100 mg/kg by mouth), when given in combination with either nifedipine (0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally), diltiazem (1.25 mg/kg intraperitoneall y) or verapamil (1.25 mg/kg intraperitoneally), significantly reduced gastric mucosal injury. The protective effect of calcium channel block ers and the antioxidant agent was synergistic. Conclusion: The results showed that calcium channel blockers potentiate the protective effect of the antioxidant activity of alpha-tocopherol on gastric mucosal in jury induced by ischaemia-reperfusion in experimental animals.