Prevention of acrylonitrile-induced gastrointestinal bleeding by sulfhydryl compounds, atropine and cimetidine.

We have recently demonstrated that acrylonitrile (VCN) causes acute gastric hemorrhage and mucosal erosions. The current studies were undertaken to investigate the effects of the sulfhydryl-containing compounds, cysteine and cysteamine, the cholinergic blocking agent atropine and the histamine H2 receptor antagonist, cimetidine on the VCN-induced gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in rats. Our data shows that pretreatment with L-cysteine, cysteamine, atropine or cimetidine has significantly protected rats against the VCN-induced GI bleeding. A possible mechanism of the VCN-induced GI bleeding may involve the interaction of VCN with critical sulfhydryl groups that, in turn, causes alteration of acetylcholine muscarinic receptors to lead to gastric hemorrhagic lesions and bleeding.