Rebamipide prevents periarterial blood-induced vasospasm in the rat femoral artery model

We examined the effect of rebamipide on the vasospasm induced by periarteri al blood. In the in vitro study, the significant production of superoxide a nion that was identified 3 hours after application of 10% whole blood to th e rat aortic segments was inhibited by rebamipide (100 and 300 muM) and the se results were correlated with the in vitro intercellular adhesion molecul e-1 (ICAM-1) expression on the femoral artery. In the in vivo study, there was an increased mobilization of granulocytes in parallel with a large expr ession of ICAM-1 in the vessels 24 hours after periarterial blood was appli ed to the femoral artery which then declined. Subsequently, infiltration of macrophages progressively increased at all layers 7-12 days after applicat ion. Pretreatment with rebamipide (100 and 300 mg kg(-)1 day(-1), p.o.) sig nificantly inhibited the morphological changes as well as the expression of ICAM-1 with inhibition of granulocyte/macrophage mobilization. In associat ion with these findings, increased wall thickness and decreased lumen area were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with rebamipide. These results provide valuable information for the therapeutic use of rebamipide to reli eve vascular remodeling induced by periarterial blood. (C) 2001 Academic Pr ess.