2001 Volume 117 Issue 6 Pages 377-386
Potent antisecretory agents, such as histamine H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors, have achieved great improvement in peptic ulcer therapy. It has, however, been reported that incidence of ulcer relapse is high after discontinuation of these drugs. Insufficient efficacy against NSAID-induced ulcers is also critical. Lafutidine is a novel histamine H2 antagonist with gastroprotective activity. Lafutidine exhibited potent and long-lasting H2 antagonism and prolonged antisecretion. In addition, lafutidine showed a gastroprotective effect against noxious agents-induced gastric mucosal damage through capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves. Lafutidine showed antiulcer activities against acute ulcer models, prevented gastric ulcer relapse of acetic ulcer, and accelerated the healing of indomethacin-induced antral ulcers in rats. These results suggest the advantage of the combined antisecretory and gastroprotective activities. In clinical studies, lafutidine showed prolonged antisecretion, healing effect against gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastritis, and its potency was equal or superior to that of conventional H2 antagonists. Additionally, lafutidine induced a high transition rate to the E0 stage determined by endoscopical ultrasonography, suggesting the high quality of ulcer healing. Furthermore, effectiveness of lafutidine against NSAIDs-induced ulcer was high. From these results, lafutidine is equal or superior to conventional H2 antagonists in antiulcer potency, and it may be useful for the prevention of ulcer relapse and/or treatment of NSAIDs-induced gastroduodenal damage.
