EFFECT OF LIGNOCAINE ON EICOSANOID SYNTHESIS BY PIECES OF HUMAN GASTRIC-MUCOSA

Lignocaine can affect prostaglandin synthesis in various tissues, and it has anti-inflammatory activity. No studies have been made previousl y on human isolated gut tissues. When concentrations of 5, 50 and 250 mu g mL(-1) lignocaine were incubated with human gastric mucosa/submuc osa at 37 degrees C for 30 min, only the highest concentration reduced the levels of prostaglandin E, thromboxane B-2 and 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha ), in the incubates, and leukotriene C-4/D-4 was unaffected. Therapeut ically relevant amounts of lignocaine given parenterally would therefo re seem unlikely to alter gastric mucosal prostanoids, but high doses can be given orally because of extensive first-pass metabolism in the liver.