Protective effect of N,N’-dimethylthiourea against stress-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats

In the present study, we examined the protective effect of N,N’-dimethylthiourea (DMTU), a scavenger of hydroxyl radical (OH), against water-immersion restraint stress (WIRS)-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats. When male Wistar rats fasted for 24 h were exposed to WIRS for 3 h, gastric mucosal lesions occurred with increases in the levels of gastric mucosal myeloperoxidase (MPO), an index of tissue neutrophil infiltration, pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1beta), lipid peroxide (LPO), and nitrite/nitrate (NOx), an index of nitric oxide synthesis, and decreases in the levels of gastric mucosal nonprotein SH and vitamin C and gastric adherent mucus. DMTU (1, 2.5, or 5 mmol/kg) administered orally at 0.5 h before the onset of WIRS reduced the severity of gastric mucosal lesions with attenuation of the changes in the levels of gastric mucosal MPO, pro-inflammatory cytokines, LPO, NOx, nonprotein SH, and vitamin C and gastric adherent mucus found at 3 h after the onset of WIRS in a dose-dependent manner. Serum levels of corticosterone and glucose, which are indices of stress responses, increased in rats exposed to WIRS for 3 h, but DMTU pre-administered at any dose had no effect on these increases. These results indicate that DMTU protects against WIRS-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats by exerting its antioxidant action including OH scavenging and its anti-inflammatory action without affecting the stress response.