DEHYDROLEUCODINE PREVENTS ETHANOL-INDUCED NECROSIS IN THE MICE DUODENAL MUCOSA - A HISTOLOGICAL STUDY

In previous works we have demonstrated that dehydroleucodine (DhL), a sesquiterpene lactone prevents gastric damage in rats produced by necr otizing agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytop rotective effect of DhL in proximal duodenal mucosa. Male mice were fa sted for 14 h. Absolute ethanol (ETOH) was employed as necrotizing age nt and the animals were sacrificed by decapitation 1 h later. Other gr oup of mice was pretreated with DhL. At the time of sacrifice, small p ieces of proximal duodenum were fixed in Bouin fluid and glutaraldehyd e-formaldehyde for histological and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. The results reveal that ETOH treated mucosa showed extended damages on the absorbent villi with partial or total disruptions, necr osis, cellular detritus and presence of mucus on the surface. At SEM t he mucosa showed histoarchitectural disorganization and necrosis. The duodenum of mice pretreated with DhL did not show alterations and the morphological characteristics of the villi were similar to control. Ab undant layers of mucus covered the mucosa surface. The mechanism of th e protective action of DhL might be mediated by endogenous prostagland ins or by SH-containing compounds of the mucosa.