Cytoprotective drugs. Focus on essential fatty acids and sucralfate.

Cytoprotection has been defined as an ability of prostaglandins to prevent gastric mucosal injury produced by a variety of ulcerogenic and necrotizing agents without inhibition of gastric acid secretion or without neutralizing intragastric acidity. Since the first demonstration of cytoprotection by prostaglandins many other agents have been claimed to be cytoprotective. Essential fatty acids: arachidonic and linoleic, licorice products, sucralfate, antacids and sulfhydryl compounds all possess cytoprotective properties. All of these compounds are able to prevent or reduce gastric mucosal necrosis produced by absolute ethanol, a necrotizing agent which injures mucosa independently of the luminal pH. Gastric mucosal protection by essential fatty acids is mediated by their conversion by the gastric mucosa to protective prostaglandins. Sucralfate and antacids are also cytoprotective compounds which stimulate release of endogenous prostaglandins from the gastric mucosa.