Experimental stress ulcer of rat and the effect of vitamin B₂

Abstract

The riboflavin deficient rats were investigated to elucidate the role of lipid peroxide in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcer. Other groups of rats were fed on riboflavin suppliemented diet or riboflavin-tetrabutylate supplemented diet to serve as the control. In riboflavin deficient rats gastric mucosal lipid peroxide measured as thiobarbitric acid reactive substances was significantly increased as well as gastric lesions after the water immersion-restraint stress for 4 hours in comparison with riboflavin-supplemented rats. On the other hand, decrease of gastric mucosal lipid peroxide and prevention of gastric lesions were observed after the stress in riboflavin-tetrabutylate supplemented rats. These results suggested that antioxidant effects of riboflavin on the lipid peroxidation may play a role in prevention of gastric lesions induced by stress.