title: Effects of ecabet sodium on acute mixed reflux esophagitis in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ecabet sodium (ENa) is a drug that repairs epithelial cells in the digestive tract via selective adhesion to damaged tissue. While the principal cause of reflux esophagitis is gastroesophageal acid reflux, the involvement of duodenal juice has also been identified as an important factor. This study aimed to explore the effect of ENa in an acute mixed reflux esophagitis (AMRE) rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were used to prepare an AMRE model. There were four experimental groups: Group A (sham-operated rats), Group B (AMRE rats), Group C (AMRE rats dosed with ENa at 10 mg/kg), and Group D (AMRE rats dosed with ENa at 30 mg/kg). All rats were assessed for incidence of macroscopic esophageal lesions, esophagitis index, and pathological findings. Amylase activity, bile acid concentration in the digestive fluid retained in the esophagogastric lumen and ENa concentration in the esophageal mucosa were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of esophagitis was 0% for Group A, 100% for Group B, 40% for Group C, and 20% for Group D. It was significantly lower for Groups C and D relative to Group B. The median esophagitis index was 0 for Group A, 58.2 for Group B, 0 for Group C, and 0 for Group D, and it was significantly lower for Groups C and D relative to Group B. The histological severity grade of esophagitis in Groups C and D was significantly less than that in Group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with ENa inhibited the development of AMRE in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. kazuto@jikei.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuboi
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Omura
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanaga
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; C061681:ecabet