We investigated the effects of
cimetidine,
omeprazole and
atropine, antisecretory
anti-ulcer agents, on the healing of gastric and
duodenal ulcers simultaneously induced in the same rats. Furthermore, we examined the effect of
histamine, an
acid secretory agent, on the healing of both
ulcers. When the effects of test drugs were assessed on the 15th day after local application of
acetic acid, repeated
oral administration of
cimetidine (50 and 100 mg/kg twice daily) or
omeprazole (25 and 50 mg/kg once daily) markedly accelerated the healing of both gastric and
duodenal ulcers.
Atropine (10 mg/kg twice daily, p.o.) showed a healing effect on
duodenal ulcers only. The repeated subcutaneous administration of
histamine (30 mg/kg 3 times daily) apparently delayed the healing of
duodenal ulcers but not
gastric ulcers. In conclusion, this experimental chronic
ulcer model in rats is useful for directly comparing the effects of
anti-ulcer drugs on the healing of gastric and
duodenal ulcers. In addition, the increase in
acid secretion appears to have a greater influence on the delay of
ulcer healing in the duodenum than in the stomach.