title: Indomethacin-induced free radical-mediated changes in the intestinal brush border membranes.
abstract: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause small intestinal damage but the pathogenesis of this toxicity is not well established. Our earlier work has shown that villus enterocytes are most susceptible to the effects of indomethacin, a commonly used NSAID. This study looked at the acute effect of indomethacin on brush border membranes (BBM), which are present mainly in the villus cells and are in immediate contact with the contents of the small intestinal lumen. Evidence of oxidative stress was found in the mucosa of the small intestine of rats dosed with indomethacin, as indicated by increased activity of xanthine oxidase with corresponding decrease in the levels of several free radical scavenging enzymes. These changes were associated with an increase in peroxidation parameters in the BBM and a fall in the level of alpha-tocopherol. These BBM also exhibited impairment in glucose transport. Significant changes were seen in the lipid composition of these membranes, with upregulation of an 85kDa isoform of phospholipase A(2). Pretreatment of animals with allopurinol, arginine or zinc protected against these effects of indomethacin. Thus this study suggests that in an acute model of indomethacin dosing there is impairment in structure and function of the BBM in enterocytes, with the effects possibly mediated by free radicals and phospholipases.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore 632004, India.
authors.forename: Jayasree
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basivireddy
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Prabhu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramamoorthy
authors.forename: Anna B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Pulimood
authors.forename: Kunissery A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008871:Microvilli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005609:Free Radicals; D007213:Indomethacin