Effects of a new antiulcer agent, ecabet sodium on a cutaneous tumorigenesis induced with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in mice.

A new antiulcer agent, ecabet sodium is one of dehydroabietic acid derivatives prepared from pine resin, and is known to have a potent protective effect on gastric hemorrhagic lesions induced with carcinogens by covering a gastric mucosa after oral administration. In the present study, we investigated the effects of synthetic ecabet sodium on cutaneous tumorigenesis and development of skin-tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene application on mouse back skin. It was tentatively concluded that ecabet sodium reduced the incidence of skin-tumors (squamous cell papillomas) by inhibition of DNA synthesis in de novo pathway, and suppressed the development of papillomas by decrease of DNA synthesis in a salvage pathway.