Treatment of duodenal ulcer with sucralfate

Effect of sucralfate on antibiotic therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in mice

It has been documented that sucralfate, a basic aluminum salt, enhances the efficacies of antibiotics against Helicobacter pylori, resulting in eradication rates comparable to those associated with the use of proton pump inhibitors. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate sucralfate's ability to complement antibiotic treatment of H. pylori infection in vivo. Four weeks following induced H. pylori infection, clarithromycin (CAM) and amoxicillin (AMPC) were administered orally to C57BL/6 mice for 5 days, both with and without sucralfate or lansoprazole. When sucralfate was concurrently given with CAM and AMPC at the maximum noninhibitory doses for the treatment of H. pylori infection, the bacterial clearance rates were comparable to those achieved by treatment with lansoprazole plus those antibiotics. The results of pharmacokinetic studies showed that lansoprazole delayed gastric clearance and accelerated the absorption of CAM, whereas sucralfate suppressed both gastric clearance and absorption. AMPC was undetectable in all samples. Scanning electron microscopy with a microscope to which a energy dispersive spectrometer was attached revealed that aluminum-containing aggregated substances coated the mucosa surrounding H. pylori in mice receiving sucralfate plus antibiotics, whereas the gastric surface and pits where H. pylori had attached were clearly visible in mice receiving lansoprazole plus antibiotics. The addition of sucralfate to the antibiotic suspension resulted in a more viscous mixture that bound to the H. pylori-infected mucosa and that inhibited the loss of CAM bioavailability in the acidic environment. Sucralfate delays gastric clearance of CAM and physically captures H. pylori through the creation of an adherent mucus, which leads to bacterial clearance.

Sucralfate: the Bangkok review

Sucralfate is a site-protective ulcer healing drug with a remarkable range of mechanisms of action. Recent studies highlight the capacity of sucralfate to bind basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and deliver it in high concentration to the ulcer. Basic fibroblast growth factor stimulates the production of granulation tissue, angiogenesis and re-epithelization, thus improving the quality of ulcer healing. The effect of sucralfate in reducing parietal cell sensitivity may be another factor important in the lower relapse rate demonstrated after duodenal ulcer healing. Sucralfate has been demonstrated to be efficacious in healing both duodenal and gastric ulcers together with mild oesophagitis, and it is safe for both short-term use and maintenance. In stress ulcer prophylaxis it is as effective as acid suppression or neutralization and has the advantage of lesser rates of nosocomial pneumonia than are demonstrated with antacids or H2 antagonists. The potential advantages of sucralfate lie in the better quality of ulcer healing associated with longer duration of remission.