Protective effects of vitamin B6 alone and in combination with L-cysteine and NaHS on ethanol and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in mice

Objective(s):  This study was undertaken to investigate the protective effects of vitamin B6, cofactor for cystathionine-γ lyase and cystathionine-β synthase (producers of H2S), alone and in combination with L-cysteine, H2S precursor, on indomethacin-, and ethanol-induced gastric lesions in male NMRI mice. Materials and Methods: Fasted male NMRI mice were randomly assigned into 12 groups (7 in each). The gastroprotective activity of vitamin B6 alone and in combination with L-cysteine and sodium hydrosulfate (NaHS) was evaluated against ethanol-, and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions. The animals were received vehicle, vitamin B6, L-cysteine, L-cysteine+vitamin B6, NaHS or NaHS+B6 before the induction of gastric lesions by ethanol (50%, 0.5 ml/25 g of body weight, orally) or indomethacin (40 mg/kg, orally). One and five hours after the administration of ethanol and indomethacin, respectively, the animals were sacrificed using anesthetics. The stomachs were removed, rinsed with normal saline and assessed for gastric wall mucus changes. Results: Pretreatment with L-cysteine, sodium hydrosulfate, and vitamin B6 significantly decreased the total area of gastric lesions (P