Effect of Sucralfate on the Viscosity of Gastric Mucus and the Permeability to Hydrogen Ion

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Abstract
The effect of sucralfate on the viscosity of pig gastric mucus and on its ability to retard the diffusion of hydrogen ion was investigated. Using a cone/plate viscometer at shear rates between 1.15 and 230 s-1, it was found that preincubation of mucus with increasing concentrations of sucralfate led to a gradual enhancement of the mucus viscosity. This enhancement in viscosity was proportional to the sucralfate concentration up to 1.0 × 10-4M and increased about 18% for each 10-fold increment in its concentration. The permeability measurements, conducted in a specially designed two compartment chamber, revealed that addition of sucralfate to gastric mucus had a profound beneficiary effect on its ability to retard the diffusion of hydrogen ion. In the presence of 1.0 × 10-6M sucralfate the permeability of mucus to hydrogen ion decreased by 35%, while the 1.0 × 10-3M sucralfate reduced the mucus permeability by 68%. The results show that sucralfate increases the viscosity of gastric mucus and improves its ability to impede the hydrogen ion penetration.