Cigarette smoke and its extract delays ulcer healing and reduces nitric oxide synthase activity and angiogenesis in rat stomach

1. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether cigarette smoke and its extract could affect ulcer healing, angiogenesis and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the gastric mucosa, 2. Ulcerated rats were either exposed to cigarette smoke or given smoke extract once daily for 3 days. Rats were killed and stomachs were removed for the measurement of ulcer size, angiogenesis and NOS activity. 3. Angiogenesis and constitutive NOS activity were concomitantly and dose-dependently reduced by cigarette smoke or its extract. The same treatments also delayed ulcer healing. 4. These results indicate that cigarette smoke and its extract repress the processes of new blood vessel formation and NOS activity during tissue repair in the gastric mucosa, These could, in turn, retard the healing process in the gastric mucosa.