Abstract
This study examined whether indomethacin-induced increases in small intestinal permeability in man are prevented by concomitant administration of a prostaglandin analog (misoprostol). Twelve male volunteers were tested as baseline, following misoprostol alone (200 Μg, at −16, −12, −8.5, −4, −1.5, and +4 hr); following indomethacin alone (75 mg, at −8; 50 mg, −1 hr); and following coadministration of misoprostol and indomethacin as specified above. A 100-ml test solution containing 3-O-methyl glucose (0.2 g), D-xylose (0.5 g),l-rhamnose (1.0 g), and [51Cr]EDTA (100 ΜCi) was ingested at 8 AM, and a 5-hr collection made for marker analysis to assess active and passive carrier-mediated transport and trans- and intercellular permeation, respectively. Indomethacin increased the permeation of [51Cr]EDTA selectively, and this increase was significantly reduced by the coadministration of misoprostol. These changes were mirrored by changes in [51 Cr]EDTA-L-rhamnose urine excretion ratios, which indicates that paracellular permeability was specifically altered. This study supports the suggestion that NSAIDs alter intestinal permeability by a mechanism involving reduced prostaglandin synthesis and indicates that coadministration of misoprostol with NSAIDs may reduce the frequency and severity of NSAID-induced small intestinal inflammation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bjarnason I, Williams P, So A, Zanelli G, Levi AJ, Gumpel MJ, Peters TJ, Ansell B: Intestinal permeability and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis; effects of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Lancet ii:1171–1174, 1984
Seagal AW, Isenberg DA, Hajirousou V, Tolfree S, Clark J, Snaith ML: Preliminary evidence of gut involvement in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Br J Rheumatol 25:162–166, 1986
Rooney PJ, Jenkins RT, Smith KM, Coates G: 111-Indiumlabeled polymorphonuclear leucocyte scans in rheumatoid arthritis—an important clinical cause of false positive results. Br J Rheumatol 25:167–170, 1986
Bjarnason I, Zanelli G, Smith T, Prouse P, Williams P, Smethurst P, Delaney G, Gumpel MJ, Levi AJ: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug induced intestinal inflammation in humans. Gastroenterology 93:480–489, 1987
Bjarnason I, Zanelli G, Prouse P, Smethurst P, Smith T, Levis, Gumpel MJ, Levi AJ: Blood and protein loss via small intestinal inflammation induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Lancet i:711–714, 1987
Bjarnason I, Price AB, Zanelli G, Smethurst P, Burke M, Gumpel MJ, Levi AJ: Clinical-pathological features of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug induced small intestinal strictures. Gastroenterology 94:1070–1074, 1988
Bjarnason I, Zanelli G, Smith T, Price AB, Gumpel MJ, Levi AJ: The pathogenesis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug induced small intestinal inflammation. Scand J Rheumatol Suppl 64:55–62, 1987
Bjarnason I, Williams P, Smethurst P, Peters TJ, Levi AJ: The effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and prostaglandins on the permeability of the human small intestine. Gut 27:1292–1297, 1986
Auer IO, Habscheid W, Hiller S, Gerherds W, Eilles C: Nicht-steroidale antiphlogistika erhohen die darmpermeabilitat. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 112:1032–1037, 1987
Jenkins RT, Rooney PJ, Jones DB, Bienenstock J, Goodacre RL: Increased intestinal permeability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A side-effect of oral nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug therapy: Br J Rheumatol 26:103–107, 1987
Bjarnason I, Peters TJ, Levi AJ: Intestinal permeability; clinical correlates. Dig Dis 4:83–92, 1986
Hawkey CJ, Rampton DS: Prostaglandins and the gastrointestinal mucosa; are they important in its function, disease or treatment. Gastroenterology 89:1162–1188, 1985
Menzies IS: Transmucosal passage of inert molecules in health and disease.In Intestinal Absorption and Secretion. E Skadhauge, K. Heintze (eds). Falk Symposium 36, MTP Press, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1983, pp 527–543
Craig RM, Atkinson AJ:d-Xylose testing: A review, Gastroenterology 95:223–231, 1988
Menzies IS, Mount JN, Wheeler MJ: Quantitative estimation of clinically important monosaccharides in plasma by rapid thin-layer chromatography. Ann Clin Biochem 15:65–76, 1978
Bjarnason I, Peters TJ: Helping the mucosa make sense of macromolecules. Gut 28:1057–1061, 1987
Jenkins RT, Rooney PJ, Hunt RH: Increased bowel permeability to [51Cr]EDTA in controls caused by Naproxen is not prevented by cytoprotection. Arthritis Rheum 31 (Suppl 1): R11, 1988
Robert A: Cytoprotection by prostaglandins. Gastroenterology 77:761–772, 1975
Cohen MM, Clark L, Armstrong L, D'Souza J: Reduction of aspirin-induced fecal blood loss with low-dose misoprostol tablets in man. Dig Dis Sci 30:605–611, 1985
Hunt JN, Smith JL, Jian CL, Kessler L: Effect of synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue on aspirin-induced gastric bleeding and secretion. Dig Dis Sci 28:897–902, 1983
Agrawal NM, Godiwala T, Arimura A, Dajani EZ: Cytoprotection by a synthetic prostaglandin against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage. A double blind endoscopy study in human subjects. Gastrointest Endosc 32:67–70, 1986
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bjarnason, I., Smethurst, P., Fenn, C.G. et al. Misoprostol reduces indomethacin-induced changes in human small intestinal permeability. Digest Dis Sci 34, 407–411 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536263
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536263