Effect of vitamin E in gastric mucosal injury induced by ischaemia-reperfusion in nitric oxide-depleted rats

Background: Neutrophil infiltration and lipid peroxide accumulation are inv olved in reperfusion-induced gastric mucosal injury in nitric oxide-deplete d rats. Aim: To assess the effect of vitamin E on this injury. Methods: After ischaemia-reperfusion, the total area of erosions, lipid per oxide contents in gastric mucosa, and gastric neutrophil accumulation were compared between nitric oxide-depleted rats with deficient, normal, and inc reased vitamin E intake over 8 weeks. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substanc es and tissue-associated myeloperoxidase activity were measured in gastric mucosa as indices of lipid peroxidation and neutrophil infiltration. Results: The total area of erosions was significantly increased in the vita min E-deficient group compared with the sufficient-intake and vitamin-suppl emented groups. Both thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myeloperox idase activity also were significantly increased in the vitamin E-deficient group compared with others. The total area of erosions closely paralleled the increases in both thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myelopero xidase activity. Conclusion: These results indicate that the inhibition of lipid peroxidatio n and interference with neutrophil infiltration by vitamin E may be respons ible for its cytoprotective effect in ischaemia-reperfusion.