Direct autoradiographic evidence that rebamipide interacts with neutrophils in dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis in rats.

To determine the effects of rebamipide during the early stages of colitits development, colitis was induced in rats by oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium for 3 or 7 days. The target sites of (3)H-rebamipide were examined by intra-aortic infusion of the radiolabeled compound followed by autoradiography. (3)H-rebamipide was localized in goblet cells in the colon of the control rat, whereas it accumulated in the cytoplasm of mesenchymal cells in dextran sulfate sodium treated rats, localized predominantly to polymorphonuclear leucocytes.