Anti-ulcer activity of higher primary alcohols of beeswax.

The anti-ulcer effects of a natural mixture of higher aliphatic primary alcohols, designated D-002, isolated from beeswax, were compared with those of cimetidine on indomethacin-, ethanol-, water-immersion-induced ulcers and on gastric secretion in rats. D-002 (25-50 mg kg-1 p.o.) was similar to cimetidine in dose-dependently reducing the duration of indomethacin-induced ulcers while also being effective in preventing ethanol-induced ulcers, which are not affected by cimetidine. On the other hand, D-002 (100 mg kg-1) moderately decreased the volume of gastric basal secretion in pylorus-ligated rats, but not the acidity. Nevertheless, it inhibited gastric ulcer induced by pylorus-ligation at doses (50 mg kg-1) that were ineffective in decreasing the volume. In addition, 100 mg kg-1 of D-002 prevented the formation of acute gastric ulcers induced in rats by water-immersion stress. The results demonstrate the anti-ulcer activity of the preparation in different experimental models suggesting its potential value for ulcer therapy.