Rebamipide prevents periarterial blood-induced vasospasm in the rat femoral artery model.

We examined the effect of rebamipide on the vasospasm induced by periarterial blood. In the in vitro study, the significant production of superoxide anion that was identified 3 hours after application of 10% whole blood to the rat aortic segments was inhibited by rebamipide (100 and 300 microM) and these results were correlated with the in vitro intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on the femoral artery. In the in vivo study, there was an increased mobilization of granulocytes in parallel with a large expression of ICAM-1 in the vessels 24 hours after periarterial blood was applied to the femoral artery which then declined. Subsequently, infiltration of macrophages progressively increased at all layers 7-12 days after application. Pretreatment with rebamipide (100 and 300 mg kg(-1) day(-1), p.o.) significantly inhibited the morphological changes as well as the expression of ICAM-1 with inhibition of granulocyte/macrophage mobilization. In association with these findings, increased wall thickness and decreased lumen area were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with rebamipide. These results provide valuable information for the therapeutic use of rebamipide to relieve vascular remodeling induced by periarterial blood.