title: Studies on antisecretory and gastric antiulcer activity of thimerosal.
abstract: Thimerosal (TH) (ethylmercurithiosalicylate) is a mercurial compound with the ability to exert cytoprotective effect against several ulcerogens. This investigation was undertaken to study the mechanism by which TH exerts its gastro-protective effect in rats. Acid secretion studies were undertaken in pylorus-ligated shay rats with and without TH treatment. The level of nonprotein sulfhydryls (NP-SH), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and gastric wall mucus were also measured in the glandular stomach of rats following ethanol-induced gastric lesions. The results of this study showed that TH (0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg) significantly and dose-dependently reduced gastric secretion and acidity in pylorus-ligated shay rats and protected animals against ethanol-induced gastric injury. Pretreatment of animals with TH significantly attenuated ethanol-induced depletion of NP-SH and increase in MPO in glandular mucosa. Thus, gastro-protective effect of TH may be attributed to its ability to reduce acid secretion, oxidative stress, and neutrophil activity besides it well reported effect on gastro-protective PG and NO.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Division, Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. yasom70@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmed R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Al Moutaery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D013849:Thimerosal / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D013849:Thimerosal; D000431:Ethanol; D009195:Peroxidase