Abstract
Fasted rats were given a single oral dose of one of the following: a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analog, misoprostol (low dose=100 μg/kg, or high dose=1 mg/kg), cimetidine (low dose=100 μg/kg, or high dose=50 mg/kg), phosphate buffer, or absolute ethanol. A second group of rats received a single oral dose of misoprostol, cimetidine, or phosphate buffer intragastrically, followed 30 min later by a second oral dose of absolute ethanol. Stomachs were either surgically removed and examined grossly or were fixedin situ and prepared for histological observation 15 or 30 min after, the initial dose, or 15 or 30 min after the second dose. Absolute ethanol alone produced grossly visible hemorrhagic lesions and extensive hyperemia and microscopic damage to the glands, which was largely confined to the crests of the rugae. Microscopic examination of nonhemorrhagic areas showed extensive damage of the superficial and gastric pit epithelial cells as well as some endothelial cells and adjacent structures in the lamina propria. Pretreatment with phosphate buffer, or either dose of cimetidine, did not obviate the gross hemorrhagic lesions or the histologic damage produced by absolute ethanol. Both the low and high doses of misoprostol protected the stomach against ethanol-induced gross hemorrhagic lesions but did not completely protect against microscopic damage to the superficial mucosa. Conclusion: the protective action of misoprostol involves mechanisms that prevent hemorrhagic lesions but do not completely shield the superficial mucosa from damage. These mechanisms appear to be independent of misoprostol's antisecretory effects.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Robert A, Nezamis JE, Lancaster, C, Hanchar AJ: Cytoprotection by prostaglandins in rats. Prevention of gastric necrosis produced by alcohol, HCl, NaOH, hypertonic NaCl, and thermal injury. Gastroenterology 77:433–443, 1979
Robert A: Antisecretory, antiulcer, cytoprotective and diarrheogenic properties of prostaglandins. Adv Prostaglandin Thromboxane Leukotriene Res 2:507–520, 1976
Robert A: Cytoprotection by prostaglandins. Gastroenterology 77:761–767, 1979
Miller TA: Protective effects of prostaglandins against gastric mucosal damage: Current knowledge and proposed mechanisms. Am J Physiol 245:G601-G623, 1983
Lacy ER, Ito S: Microscopic analysis of ethanol damage to rat gastric mucosa after treatment with a prostaglandin. Gastroenterology 83:619–625, 1982
Lacy ER, Ito S: Ethanol-induced insult to the superficial rat gastric epithelium: A study of damage and rapid repair.In Mechanisms of Mucosal Protection in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract. A Allen, G Flemstrom, A Garner, W Silen, LA Turnberg (eds). New York, Raven Press, 1984,pp 49–56
Morris GP, Wallace JL: The roles of ethanol and of acid in the production of gastric mucosal erosions in rats. Virchows Arch (Cell Pathol) 38:23–38, 1981
Lacy ER, Ito S: Rapid epithelial restitution of the rat gastric mucosa after ethanol injury. Lab Invest 51:573–583, 1984
Ito S, Lacy ER, Rutten MJ, Critchlow J, Silen W: Rapid repair of injured gastric mucosa. Scand J Gastroenterol 19(Suppl 101):87–96, 1984
Rutten MJ, Ito S: Morphology and electrophysiology of guinea pig gastric mucosal repairin vitro. Am J Physiol 244:G171-G182, 1983
Svanes K, Ito S, Takeuchi K, Silen W: Restitution of the surface epithelium ofin vitro frog gastric mucosa after damage with hyperosmolar sodium chloride. Gastroenterology 82:1409–1426, 1982
Ito S, Lacy ER: Morphology of rat gastric mucosal damage, defense and restitution in the presence of luminal ethanol. Gastroenterology 88:250–260, 1985
Critchlow J, Magee D, Ito S, Takeuchi K, Silen W: Requirements for restitution of the surface epithelium of frog stomach after mucosal injury. Gastroenterology 88:237–249, 1985
Guth PH, Paulsen G, Nagata H: Histologic and microcirculatory changes in alcohol-induced gastric lesions in the rat: Effect of prostaglandin cytoprotection. Gastroenterology 87:1083–1090, 1984
Robert A: Role of endogenous and exogenous prostaglandins in mucosal protection.In Mechanisms of Mucosal Protection in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract. A Allen, G Flemstrom, A Garner, W Silen, LA Turnberg, (eds). New York, Raven Press, 1984, pp 57–63
Ritchie WP Jr: Acute gastric mucosal damage induced by bile salts, acid, and ischemia. Gastroenterology 68:699–707, 1975
Mersereau WA, Hinchey EJ: Role of gastric mucosal folds in formation of focal ulcers in the rat. Surgery 91:150–155, 1982
Pinar K, Schult WJ, Barboirak JJ: Histologic study of gastric lesions of food-restrained rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 145:1353–1358, 1974
Moody FE, Aldrete JS: Hydrogen permeability of canine gastric secretory epithelium during the formation of acute superficial erosions. Surgery 70:154–160 1971
Szabo S, Trier JS, Brown A, Schnoor J: Early vascular injury and increased vascular permeability in gastric mucosal injury caused by ethanol in the rat. Gastroenterology 88:228–236, 1985
Tarnawski A, Hollander D, Stachura J, Krause WJ, Gergely H: Prostaglandin protection of the gastric mucosa againot alcohol injury—a dynamic time-related process. Gastroenterology 88:334–352, 1985
Whittle BJR, Steel G: Evaluation of the protection of rat gastric mucosa by a prostaglandin analogue using cellular enzyme marker and histologic techniques. Gastroenterology 88:315–327, 1985
Lacy ER: Gastric mucosal resistance to a repeated ethanol insult. Scand J Gastroenterol 20(Suppl 110):63–72, 1985
Morris GP, Harding RK, Wallace JL: A functional model for extracellular mucus in the rat. Virchows Arch (Cell Pathol) 46:239–251, 1984
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lacy, E.R. Effects of absolute ethanol, misoprostol, cimetidine, and phosphate buffer on the morphology of rat gastric mucosae. Digest Dis Sci 31 (Suppl 2), 101S–107S (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01309332
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01309332