Alcohol injury to the normal human gastric mucosa: endoscopic, histologic and functional assessment.

In 15 healthy volunteers, we studied the effect of intragastric administration of 100 ml 40% alcohol (in 10 experimental subjects) or isotonic saline (in 5 control subjects) on endoscopic appearance of the gastric mucosa, mucosal histology, luminal pH, and gastric mucosal potential difference. We found that a single dose of 40% alcohol produces rapid endoscopic changes (congestion and focal hemorrhagic lesions) and prominent histologic changes (exfoliation of the surface epithelium, edema of the lamina propria and hemorrhagic lesions associated with mucosal microvascular damage). The histologic changes were seen as early as 5 minutes after alcohol administration and occurred coincidentally with functional changes, which consisted of a sudden increase in luminal pH and a drop in the mucosal potential difference.

Prostaglandin protection of the human gastric mucosa against alcohol-induced injury. Endoscopic, histologic, and functional assessment.

Unlabelled: We studied whether pretreatment with prostaglandin (16,16-dimethyl (dm) prostaglandin E2) may protect the human gastric mucosa against alcohol-induced injury. Healthy volunteers received (via an endoscope) intragastric pretreatment with either: A) placebo or B) 16,16 dm prostaglandin E2, 1 microgram/kg, and 15 min later 40 ml 60% alcohol was sprayed directly on gastric mucosa.

Studies: endoscopic appearance of the gastric mucosa was evaluated and scored (scale 0-5) by two investigators, gastric mucosal potential difference (PD) was continuously recorded, and mucosal biopsies were obtained at 30 min after alcohol for histologic examination.

Prostaglandin protection of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cell necrosis in the rat.

We studied whether 16,16--dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) may prevent acute liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in the rat. One hundred thirty male rats were divided into the following groups: (1) controls, (2) rats given CCl4 6670 mg/kg body wt subcutaneously, (3) rats pretreated with 5 micrograms/kg dmPGE2 given subcutaneously 30 min before, and 8 and 24 h after CCl4 administration, and (4) animals given dmPGE2 only as in group 3. Liver damage was assessed by biochemical studies (SGPT, serum alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin) and by histology.

Ethanol induced duodenal lesions in man. Protective effect of prostaglandin.

This study aimed: 1. to investigate quantitatively mucosal changes in the human duodenum after ethanol instillation, 2. to determine the effect of 16,16 dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) pretreatment on these changes.