Mechanism of the Antipeptic Action of Anionic Carbohydrate and Its Clinical Application for the Treatment of Peptic Ulcer

Abstract

The antipeptic effects of various anionic carbohydrate preparations were found to vary depending on the source and molecular weight of carbohydrate, the types and the grades of esterification, and minerals attached to anionic groups. Dextran sulfate inhibits all proteases separated from gastric mucosa. The antipeptic effects are assumed to be due to the chemical binding of anionic carbohydrate not only with pepsin, but also with substrate proteins basing on the results obtained in both in vitro and electrophoretic experiments. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis revealed that the peptic ulcer-covering ‘white coating’ contains plasma proteins. These findings are thought to indicate that anionic carbohydrate can be used for the treatment of peptic ulcer. The significance of chemical binding of anionic carbohydrate to ‘white coating’ is stressed.