Effects of a proton pump inhibitor, AG-1749 (lansoprazole), on reflux esophagitis and experimental ulcers in rats

The effects of (±)-2-[[[3-methyl-4-(2, 2, 2-trifluoroethoxy-2-pyridyl]methyl]-sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole (lansoprazole, AG-1749) and famotidine on various experimental ulcers in rats were compared. AG-1749 inhibited reflux esophagitis; gastric lesions induced by water-immersion stress, aspirin or ethanol; and duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine or mepirizole in a dose-dependent manner: the ID50 values were0.7, 2.4, 0.7, 8.5, 1.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, p.o. or i.d., respectively. Famotidine inhibited reflux esophagitis with an ID50 value of 12.9 mg/kg, but did not cause 50% inhibition of ethanol-induced gastric lesions even at 100 mg/kg, although it showed almost the same or a little stronger potency on other experimental ulcers: ID50 values were 0.3-1.4 mg/kg. Significant aggravation of ethanol- or water-immersion stress-induced lesions was observed in rats given famotidine at 30 mg/kg twice daily for 4 days, but not in rats given AG-1749 at 10 mg/kg twice daily. Administration of AG-1749 for 14 consecutive days markedly accelerated the healing of acetic acid-induced gastric and duodenal ulcers, and the healing effect was significant at 10 and 30 mg/kg/day, p.o. Famotidine also accelerated the healing of ulcers, but its potency was less than that of AG-1749. The results of this study indicate that although AG-1749 is slightly less po-tent than famotidine in inhibiting acutely induced gastroduodenal lesions, this agent is superior to famotidine in promoting the healing of ulcers and in inhibiting reflux esophagitis and ethanol-induced gastric lesions.