EFFECT OF A PROSTAGLANDIN I-2 ANALOG, BERAPROST SODIUM, ON BURN-INDUCED GASTRIC-MUCOSAL INJURY IN RATS

Stress ulcers still have a high mortality in critically burned patient s and the pathophysiology remains relatively unknown. Impaired gastric mucosal perfusion is one of the factors contributing to gastric mucos al ulceration. Burn injury causes thrombosis and vascular occlusion by increasing the blood viscosity, resulting in decreased organ perfusio n. Reduced blood flout is one of the most important factors in gastric mucosal ulceration. Beraprost sodium is a chemically stable prostagla ndin I-2 (PGI(2)) analogue with antiplatelet, vasodilator and cytoprot ective actions. In the present study, we examined the effects of a PGI , analogue, beraprost sodium (Procylin(TM), Kaken Pharmaceutical Compa ny, Tokyo, Japan) on burn-induced gastric mucosal changes in rats. Twe nty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing an average of 400 g were burned with hot water (90 degrees C) and then divided into two groups of 10 a nimals. One group received 0.015 mg of beraprost sodium intraperitonea lly immediately after burn injury, while the control group received th e same volume of saline. Gastric mucosal blood flow was measured with a laser Doppler flowmeter and the area of mucosal necrosis was also de termined macroscopically and histologically. Gastric mucosal damage wa s significantly reduced in the beraprost sodium-treated rats and gastr ic mucosal blood flow was significantly improved (p<0.05). These findi ngs demonstrate that PGI(2) plays a very important role in the pathoph ysiology of burn-induced Curling's ulcer and that beraprost sodium can improve gastric mucosal blood flow and reduce mucosal damage. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI.