Protective effects of vitamin B(6) alone and in combination with L-cysteine and NaHS on ethanol and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in mice

OBJECTIVE(S): This study was undertaken to investigate the protective effects of vitamin B(6), cofactor for cystathionine-γ lyase and cystathionine-β synthase (producers of H(2)S), alone and in combination with L-cysteine, H(2)S precursor, on indomethacin-, and ethanol-induced gastric lesions in male NMRI mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fasted male NMRI mice were randomly assigned into 12 groups (7 in each). The gastroprotective activity of vitamin B(6) alone and in combination with L-cysteine and sodium hydrosulfate (NaHS) was evaluated against ethanol-, and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions. The animals were received vehicle, vitamin B(6), L-cysteine, L-cysteine+vitamin B(6), NaHS or NaHS+B(6) before the induction of gastric lesions by ethanol (50%, 0.5 ml/25 g of body weight, orally) or indomethacin (40 mg/kg, orally). One and five hours after the administration of ethanol and indomethacin, respectively, the animals were sacrificed using anesthetics. The stomachs were removed, rinsed with normal saline and assessed for gastric wall mucus changes. RESULTS: Pretreatment with L-cysteine, sodium hydrosulfate, and vitamin B(6) significantly decreased the total area of gastric lesions (P<0.01). The mucus production in L-cysteine-, sodium hydrosulfate-, and vitamin B(6)-treated animals were significantly higher than in control rats P<0.05). The gastroprotective activity of L-cysteine and sodium hydrosulfate in combination with vitamin B(6) were higher than when administered alone (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The result of this survey showed that the protective activity of L-cysteine and sodium hydrosulfate enhances in the presence of vitamin B(6).