title: Gastric anti-ulcer and cytoprotective effect of l-serine in rats.
abstract: Effect of l-serine has been studied for its ability to inhibit gastric secretion and to protect the gastric mucosa against stress and chemically induced ulcers. Acid secretion studies were undertaken in pylorus-ligated rats with and without l-serine treatment. Experimental gastric lesions were induced by hypothermic-restraint stress, indomethacin and necrotizing agents including 80% ethanol, 0.2 M sodium hydroxide and 0.6 M hydrochloric acid in rats. The level of nonprotein sulfhydryl compounds and gastric wall mucus were also measured in the glandular stomach of the rats following ethanol-induced gastric lesions. The results of this study demonstrate that l-serine produces a dose-dependent inhibition of gastric acid secretions in rats. Pretreatment with l-serine also attenuated the formation of stress-, indomethacin- and necrotizing agents-induced gastric lesions. The antiulcer activity of l-serine was associated with significant inhibition of ethanol-induced depletion of nonprotein sulfhydryls and gastric wall mucus. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that l-serine possesses significant antiulcer and cytoprotective activity against various experimentally induced gastric lesions. Although the mechanism of action of l-serine requires further evaluation, the experimental observations derived from this study may have future clinical relevance and therefore deserve to be investigated thoroughly.
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Al Moutaery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002424:Caustics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid; D007213:Indomethacin; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus / Q000737:chemistry; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011708:Pylorus / Q000601:surgery; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012694:Serine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D012997:Solvents; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D002424:Caustics; D012997:Solvents; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D000431:Ethanol; D012694:Serine; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid; D007213:Indomethacin