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Involvement of nitric oxide in gastric protection of epinephrine in endotoxin intoxication in rats.

Hsu DZ, Liu MY

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan.

Reduction in blood pressure may cause gastric mucosal hypoxia and injury during endotoxin intoxication. Epinephrine is found to increase gastric mucosal perfusion while managing hypotension. Nitric oxide plays an important role in regulating gastric mucosal perfusion and maintaining gastric integrity. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of nitric oxide in the gastric protection of epinephrine by determining gastric mucosal lipid peroxidation, ulceration, and hemorrhage levels in endotoxin intoxication in rats. Epinephrine significantly increased gastric mucosal nitrite levels, decreased gastric mucosal lipid peroxidation levels, and ameliorated gastric ulceration and hemorrhage in endotoxin-treated rats. Furthermore, nitric oxide synthase inhibitors potently reversed the effects of epinephrine on gastric mucosa in endotoxin-treated rats. It was suggested that nitric oxide might be involved in the protective effect of epinephrine on gastric mucosal injury in endotoxin intoxication in rats.

Published 24 September 2004 in Toxicology, 204(2): 203-8.
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