TREATMENT OF PEPTIC-ULCER DISEASE WITH FURAZOLIDONE

Furazolidone (FZ) has been used in China as a treatment of peptic ulcer disease for about 20 years. Clinical and experimental studies suggest that it has good short-term and long-term effects on both human and animal ulcers. The ulcer healing rate is related to the dosage and course of treatment. The healing rate of a high dose, 2 week course is about 70-75% and the relapse rate after 3 years is 9.5%. The adverse reactions to FZ are not severe, and are well tolerated in most patients. However the mutagenic studies of several biological systems indicate that it has a mutagenic effect, but the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects on humans and animals remain questionable, because FZ has been biotransformed into other metabolites. The mechanisms of FZ in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease are not fully understood, perhaps partly due to the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory reaction and partly to the antibacterial activity to Helicobacter pylori (HP). The long-term effects of FZ are still not clear.