title: Role of L-arginine in ibuprofen-induced oxidative stress and neutrophil infiltration in gastric mucosa.
abstract: It has been proposed that neutrophil and oxygen dependent microvascular injuries may be important prime events in gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). L-arginine (L-ARG) is an essential amino acid which participates in many important biochemical reactions associated to the normal physiology of the organism. In these experimentations, we studied the role of L-ARG, aminoacid precursor of NO synthesis, on ibuprofen (IB) induced gastric lesions, and also on the inflammatory and oxidative mechanisms related to mucosal damage. Oral administration of IB (100 mg kg(-1)), produced severe damage on gastric mucosa, which was more important after 6 h test-period, and was accompanied by a significant increment in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, as index of neutrophil activation, as well as lipid peroxidation (LP) levels and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. However, no changes were observed in total mucosal glutathione (tGSH), nor glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Simultaneous treatment with equimolar doses of L-ARG (oral and i.p.), considerably reduced the number and intensity of lesions, and at the same time (6 h) the maximum protection was also observed. In addition, L-ARG inhibited the IB-induced LP and XO enhancement, but did not produce changes in leukocyte infiltration, tGSH, GSH-Px and SOD activity. These findings suggest that (1) L-ARG protective effect on gastric mucosa against IB-induced mucosal lesions could be explained by a local effect and also might be due to the systemic action of the aminoacid; (2) the active oxygen species, derived both from XO and activated neutrophils, could play a role in the pathogenesis of gastric injury induced by IB, (3) L-ARG exhibit a protective effect against IB-induced mucosal damage, probably through the inhibition of oxidative stress derived via xanthine-XO, but it does not block the oxygen free radical production through polymorphe nuclear leukocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alarcón de la Lastra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruseghini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esteras
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Herrerías
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Motilva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018375:Neutrophil Activation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D020011:Protective Agents; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D001120:Arginine; D009195:Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D005978:Glutathione; D007052:Ibuprofen