ANTIULCER ACTIVITY OF HIGHER PRIMARY ALCOHOLS OF BEESWAX

The anti-ulcer effects of a natural mixture of higher aliphatic primar y alcohols, designated D-002, isolated from beeswax, were compared wit h those of cimetidine on indomethacin-, ethanol-, water-immersion-indu ced ulcers and on gastric secretion in rats. D-002 (25-50 mg kg(-1) p. o.) was similar to cimetidine in dose-dependently reducing the duratio n of indomethacin-induced ulcers while also being effective in prevent ing ethanol-induced ulcers, which are not affected by cimetidine. On t he other hand, D-002 (100 mg kg(-1)) moderately decreased the volume o f gastric basal secretion in pylorus-ligated rats, but not the acidity . Nevertheless, it inhibited gastric ulcer induced by pylorus-ligation at doses (50 mg kg(-1)) that were ineffective in decreasing the volum e. In addition, 100 mg kg(-1) of D-002 prevented the formation of acut e gastric ulcers induced in rats by water-immersion stress. The result s demonstrate the anti-ulcer activity of the preparation in different experimental models suggesting its potential value for ulcer therapy.