Leminoprazole protects cultured gastric mucosal cells against damage caused by ethanol, indometacin and taurocholate.

We examined whether or not leminoprazole (an acid pump inhibitor) protects cultured rabbit gastric mucosal cells against various forms of cell damage. Exposure of mucosal cells to ethanol, indometacin or taurocholate for 1 h caused a reduction in their viability. Pretreatment of the cells with leminoprazole for 2 h concentration-dependently and significantly prevented the viability loss induced by each noxious agent, although the drug alone did not affect cell viability. Cytoprotection by leminoprazole was expressed after a 2-hour lag period. The effects of leminoprazole were potently inhibited by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. These results indicate that leminoprazole directly acts on gastric mucosal cells, making the cells resistant to damage, and that its cytoprotection might be mediated through de novo synthesized proteins.