The effect of D-penicillamine in different experimental gastric ulcer models in the rat.

Several sulfhydryl substances were found to protect the gastric mucosa against the ulcerogenic effect of indomethacin, while being ulcerogenic in stress (restraint) ulcer. D-penicillamine showed a dose dependent antiulcerogenic effect in both gastric ulcer models. This experimental result has called attention to the two methyl groups in which the D-penicillamine molecule was different from D-cysteine. It seemed therefore that in contrast to cysteine the favourable effect of D-penicillamine in stress ulcer, was due to this structural difference.