Binding of sucralfate to duodenal ulcer in man.

Biopsy specimens of ulcerated and of adjacent non-ulcerated duodenal mucosa were obtained from 17 patients with active duodenal ulcer who had received a single oral dose of 1 g sucralfate. Similar specimens were obtained from 21 patients with a recently healed duodenal ulcer. The specimens were assayed for aluminum to provide an estimate of the amount of sucralfate bound to the mucosa. Sucralfate was present at significantly higher concentrations in ulcerated mucosa than in non-ulcerated mucosa for 6 hr after dosing. In addition, sucralfate was found to bind to healed duodenal ulcers for 6 hr after dosing. This finding provides a rational basis for the use of sucralfate in the maintenance therapy of duodenal ulcer.