Sucralfate is a basic aluminum sucrose sulfate complex that has gastroprotective activity.1 It inhibits rat pepsin in a concentration-dependent manner and pepsin activity in isolated human gastric juice. It also inhibits ulcer formation induced by pyloric ligation, indomethacin , or cysteamine in rats. Sucralfate (5,600 mg/animal) is protective against neutral ethanol and acidified taurocholic acid-induced damage in a rat model of hydrochloric acid-induced gastric mucosal damage, increasing the pH and reducing the disappearance of hydrogen ions.2 Formulations containing sucralfate have been used as antacids in the treatment of duodenal ulcer.
1.Borella, L.E., Seethaler, K., and Lippmann, W.Sucralfate: Antipeptic, antiulcer activities and antagonism of gastric emptyingArzneimittelforschung29(5)793-798(1979) 2.Harrington, S.J., Schlegel, J.F., and Code, C.F.The protective effect of sucralfate on the gastric mucosa of ratsJ. Clin. Gastroenterol.3(Suppl 2)129-134(1981)