Brief Article
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2009; 15(40): 5091-5096
Published online Oct 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5091
Mitigation of indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesions by a potent specific type V phosphodiesterase inhibitor
Kemal Karakaya, Volkan Hanci, Sibel Bektas, Murat Can, Hamdi B Ucan, Ali Ugur Emre, Oge Tascılar, Isıl Ozkocak Turan, Mustafa Comert, Oktay Irkorucu, Guldeniz Karadeniz Cakmak
Kemal Karakaya, Hamdi B Ucan, Ali Ugur Emre, Oge Tascılar, Mustafa Comert, Oktay Irkorucu, Guldeniz Karadeniz Cakmak, Department of General Surgery, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Medical Faculty, 67600 Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey
Volkan Hanci, Isıl Ozkocak Turan, Department of Anesthesiology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Medical Faculty, 67600 Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey
Sibel Bektas, Department of Pathology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Medical Faculty, 67600 Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey
Murat Can, Department of Biochemistry, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Medical Faculty, 67600 Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey
Author contributions: Karakaya K and Hanci V designed the research; Karakaya K, Hanci V, Bektas S and Can M performed the research; Karakaya K, Hanci V, Ucan HB, Tascılar O, Can M, Emre AU, Irkorucu O, and Karadeniz Cakmak G analyzed the data; Karakaya K, Can M, Hanci V wrote the paper; Ozkocak Turan I and Comert M critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content.
Correspondence to: Kemal Karakaya, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Medical Faculty, 67600 Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey. karakayakemal@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-532-6946400 Fax: +90-372-2610155
Received: June 15, 2009
Revised: August 4, 2009
Accepted: August 11, 2009
Published online: October 28, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the gastroprotective effect of vardenafil against indomethacin-induced gastric damage.

METHODS: Forty-eight female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. Group 1 received saline only. Group 2 (indomethacin) received indomethacin. Rats in group 3 and 4 were pretreated with different doses of famotidine. Group 5 and 6 were pretreated with different doses of vardenafil. Rats in groups 3 to 6 received 25 mg/kg indomethacin 30 min after pretreatment. The animals were sacrificed 6 h later and their stomachs were opened. Gastric lesions were counted and measured. The stomach of each animal was divided in two parts for histopathological examinations and nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays, respectively.

RESULTS: There were no gastric mucosal lesion in the saline group but all rats in the indomethacin group had gastric mucosal ulcerations (ulcer count; 6.25 ± 3.49, and mean ulcer area; 21.00 ± 12.35). Ulcer counts were diminished with famotidine 5 mg/kg (4.12 ± 2.47, P > 0.05), 20 mg/kg (2.37 ± 4.43, P < 0.05), vardenafil 2 mg/kg (4.37 ± 3.06), and vardenafil 10 mgkg (1.25 ± 1.38, P < 0.05) compared to the indomethacin group. Gastric mucosal lesion areas were diminished with famotidine 5 mg/kg (8.62 ± 2.97, P < 0.001) , famotidine 20 mg/kg (0.94 ± 2.06, P < 0.001), vardenafil 2 mg/kg (6.62 ± 5.87, P < 0.001), and vardenafil 10 mg/kg (0.75 ± 0.88, P < 0.001) compared to the indomethacin group. MDA levels were significantly higher in indomethacin group (28.48 ± 14.51), compared to the famotidine 5 mg/kg (6,21 ± 1.88, P < 0.05), famotidine 20 mg/kg (5.88 ± 1.60. P < 0.05), vardenafil 2 mg/kg (15.87 ± 3.93, P < 0.05), and vardenafil 10 mg/kg (10.97 ± 4.50, P < 0.05). NO concentration in gastric tissues of the famotidine groups were significantly increased (P < 0.05), but the NO increases in the vardenafil groups were not statistically significant. Histopathology revealed diminished gastric damage for pretreatment groups compared to the indomethacin group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Vardenafil affords a significant dose-dependent protection against indomethacin induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats.

Keywords: Vardenafil, Gastric ulceration, Indomethacin, Gastroprotection, Rats