Lack of vitamin E cytoprotective effects on indomethacin-induced gastric lesions.

The ability of vitamin E to protect the gastric mucosa from the ulcerogenic effect of indomethacin was assessed in male rats. A single administration of vitamin E to rats increased levels of vitamin E in fundus (80%), antrum (130%), duodenum (450%), liver (450%), and plasma (230%) in comparison to vehicle treated rats. Oral administration of 30 mg/kg indomethacin to rats previously treated with vitamin E (100 mg/kg), vitamin E-stripped corn oil (vehicle), or to sham pretreated rats induced similar cumulative length and score of gastric lesions in the three groups of animals. These results suggest that, if vitamin E functions as a chain breaking antioxidant, lipid peroxidation is not involved in the pathogenesis of acute gastric mucosal injury caused by indomethacin.