The indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal damage in rats. Effect of gastric acid,acid inhibition,capsaicin-type agents and prostacyclin

In pylorus-ligated rats subcutaneous (sc) pentagastrin (325.5 nmol/kg) or histamine (54.3 μmol/kg), but not the cholinergic linergic agent bethanechol (7.6 or 15.2 μmol/kg), increased gastric mucosal injury by sc indomethacin (55.8 μmol/kg). Intragastric (ig) administration of 0.15 or 0.3 N HCl greatly potentiated injury by sc indomethacin with widespread ulceration, intragastric bleeding and even perforation. The gastric mucosal damage produced by indomethacin plus 0.3 N HCl was reduced by ig capsaicin (3.1–25.1 μM), ig resiniferatoxin (0.38-6.1 μM), by sc atropine (0.15-1.2 μmol/kg) and to a lesser extent by ig prostacyclin (40–267 μM) or sc cimetidine (198.2 μmol/kg). The protective effect of capsaicin or resiniferatoxin was not prevented by atropine or cimetidine treatment. Capsaicin (6.5 mM) enhanced gastric injury by sc or ig indomethacin. Results indicate the importance of early vascular events in the pathogenesis of mucosal injury induced by indomethacin in the stomach and suggest a role for gastric acid in potentiation of such injury. Results further strengthen the idea of a protective role for capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves in the stomach.