Protective effects of several amino acid-nutrients on gastric hemorrhagic erosions in acid-irrigated stomachs of septic rats

Our previous report demonstrates that severe gastric mucosal damage is produced in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-intoxicated rats. In the present study, we examined protective effects of several amino acids including taurine, phenylalanine and L-Arginine on gastric hemorrhagic erosions in acid-irrigated stomachs of LPS rats. The animals were deprived of food for 24 hr. Intravenous LPS (3 mg/kg) was challenged 12 hr after withdrawal of food. Gastric vagotomy was performed, followed by irrigation the stomachs for 3 hr with a physiological acid solution containing 100 mM HCl and 54 mM NaCl. The ulcerogenic parameters including increased gastric acid back-diffusion, mucosal histamine concentrations, lipid peroxide productions, luminal hemoglobin contents, stomach erosions and the lowered glutathione levels were markedly enhanced in LPS rat stomachs irrigated with acid solution. Both phenylalanine and taurine caused dose-dependent attenuations of these ulcerogenic parameters in LPS rats. L-arginine also was effective in inhibition. The inhibitory effect was restored by pretreatment of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, such as N(G)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester or L-N(G)-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine. Furthermore, marked amelioration of hemorrhagic erosions in LPS rats was observed when a combination of these amino acid nutrients was used. The results provide evidence that these amino acid nutrients may ameliorate gastric hemorrhagic erosion via GSH synthesis stimulation, histamine cell membrane stabilization and antioxidant actions in LPS rat stomachs.