PROTECTION BY REBAMIPIDE AGAINST ACETIC ACID-INDUCED COLITIS IN RATS - RELATIONSHIP WITH ITS ANTIOXIDATIVE ACTIVITY

The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of rebamipide on ace tic acid-induced colitis in rats. Colitis was induced in male Wistar/S T strain rats by intracolonic injection of 2 ml of 5% acetic acid. Aft er 24 hr, lesion scare, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and antioxidants were measured. Reb amipide was administered orally to the rats twice, once immediately an d once 8 hr after the induction of the colitis at doses of 7.5, 15, an d 30 mg/kg. To evaluate the pathogenesis of neutrophils in this coliti s model, neutrophil-depleted rats were also investigated. Increases of TEARS and MPO activity and decreases of total glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and alpha-tocopherol were observed in this model. Rebamipide at 30 mg/kg decreased the lesion score significantly , which was associated with the reduction of colonic TEARS. The decrea ses of total glutathione, SOD activity, and alpha-tocopherol were also inhibited significantly by rebamipide. The preventive effect of rebam ipide in this colitis model may be attributed to its inhibition of rea ctive oxygen species production.