The effect of prostacyclin on the gastric mucosa in portal-hypertensive rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

This study investigates the effect of prostacyclin, which is thought to be involved in the hemodynamic circulation, on the gastric mucosa of rats with portal hypertension.

METHODOLOGY:

Various gastric functions were evaluated in portal vein ligated rats after the intraperitoneal administration of either a placebo or prostacyclin for 7 days.

RESULTS:

The gastric mucosal damage induced by the instillation of 90% ethanol was significantly greater in the prostacyclin-treated group than in placebo-treated group. The portal pressure was similar in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in plasma concentration of 6-keto-PGF1a (a stable metabolite of prostacyclin), whereas the mucosal content of 6-keto-PGF1a was significantly higher in the prostacyclin-treated group than in the placebo-treated group. Prostacyclin pretreatment significantly increased the gastric mucosal blood flow, estimated by laser-Doppler flowmetry, and the hemoglobin content of the gastric mucosa, measured by reflectance spectrophotometry, whereas the oxygen content remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS:

We speculate that the increased gastric mucosal perfusion induced by a high content of prostacyclin in the portal hypertensive gastric mucosa may play a role in the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage.

• Authors: Fumiaki Kishihara, Makoto Hashizume, Masayuki Ohta, Hirofumi Kawanaka, Morimasa Tomikawa, Hidefumi Higashi, Kazuo Tanoue, Keizo Sugimachi
• Journal: Hepato-gastroenterology (Hepatogastroenterology) 2002 Jan-Feb Vol. 49 Issue 43 Pg. 279-84 ISSN: 0172-6390 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 11941975 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antihypertensive Agents
• Ethanol
• 6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha
• Epoprostenol

Topics

• 6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (analysis)
• Animals
• Antihypertensive Agents (pharmacology)
• Epoprostenol (pharmacology)
• Ethanol (administration & dosage, adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Gastric Mucosa (blood supply, drug effects, physiopathology)
• Hemodynamics (drug effects, physiology)
• Hypertension, Portal (complications)
• Injections, Intraperitoneal
• Laser-Doppler Flowmetry
• Models, Animal
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Spectrophotometry
• Splanchnic Circulation (drug effects, physiology)
• Stomach Diseases (etiology, physiopathology)