Studies on the gastric tolerability of the new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug amtolmetin guacyl.

Unexpectedly high levels of gastric tolerance to the new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) amtolmetin guacyl (CAS 87344-06-7, MED15) were observed in clinical practice. Further investigation of the drug was, therefore, undertaken in order to evaluate its gastrointestinal side-effects in animals. This new agent, which possesses high anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity, was recently introduced into medical therapy. In rats, repeated administration of MED15, even at high dosages, failed to produce any adverse effects on the gastric mucosa, unlike the reference NSAIDs used; the effect on the gastric mucosa was evaluated macro- and microscopically with a staining technique. In immature rat isolated stomachs MED15 strongly down-regulated the HCl output evoked by histamine, acetylcholine and gastrin. An effective NSAID which presents the added advantage of antisecretory properties has not previously been described amongst the many currently available, and reverses the dogma of the inevitable correlation between NSAID assumption and gastrointestinal reactions.