Cytoprotection
Cytoprotection is a process by which chemical compounds or shells around cells provide protection to cells against harmful agents.{{cite web | url = https://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2009/MB_cgi?mode=&term=Cytoprotection | title = MeSH Heading: Cytoprotection | work = Medical Subject Headings | publisher = United States National Library of Medicine }}{{Cite journal |last=Rheem |first=Hyeong Bin |last2=Kim |first2=Nayoung |last3=Nguyen |first3=Duc Tai |last4=Baskoro |first4=Ghanyatma Adi |last5=Roh |first5=Jihun H. |last6=Lee |first6=Jungkyu K. |last7=Kim |first7=Beom Jin |last8=Choi |first8=Insung S. |date=2025-05-22 |title=Single-Cell Nanoencapsulation: Chemical Synthesis of Artificial Cell-in-Shell Spores |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00984 |journal=Chemical Reviews |language=en |doi=10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00984 |issn=0009-2665|url-access=subscription }}
Gastric cytoprotectant
A gastric cytoprotectant is any medication that combats ulcers not by reducing gastric acid but by increasing mucosal protection.{{citationneeded|date=February 2025}} Examples of gastric cytoprotective agents include prostaglandins which protect the stomach mucosa against injury by increasing gastric mucus secretion. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins and thereby make the stomach more susceptible to injury.{{cite journal | author = Wallace JL | title = Prostaglandins, NSAIDs, and cytoprotection | journal = Gastroenterol. Clin. North Am. | volume = 21 | issue = 3 | pages = 631–41 |date=September 1992 | doi = 10.1016/S0889-8553(21)00052-2 | pmid = 1516961 }} Gastric cytoprotective drugs include carbenoxolone, deglycyrrhizinised liquorice, sucralfate (aluminium hydroxide and sulphated sucrose), misoprostol (a prostaglandin analogue), bismuth chelate (tri-potassium di-citrato bismuthate) and zinc L-carnosine.