Gastric Stress Ulcers and Gastrointestinal Hormones -Response to Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Chloride Infused Intraduodenally

Abstract
Gastric stress ulcers were produced by restraint in nonsecretory rats, and the response of the ulcer index to intraduodenal hydrochloric acid (HCl) or sodium chloride (NaCl) was studied in a three-step dose-response trial. Both substances lowered the ulcer index dose-dependently (Km HCl 0.038 ± 0.006; Km NaCl 0.089 ± 0.009 mAM/kg/h, respectively) reaching a nadir in rats receiving HCl. The improvement in ulcerations was associated with elevated plasma secretin, glucose, and lowered gastrin in this protocol. In both experimental procedures plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was higher with the low and intermediate doses as compared with the high dose when a slight venous hyperosmolality was present. Glucagon and insulin remained essentially stable. It is concluded that stress ulcers of the restraint type may be prevented by intraduodenal HCl, suggesting that the interplay of gastrointestinal hormones is deranged by stress and partly restored by acid instillation.

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