Gastric hemodynamic disturbance induced by hemorrhagic shock in rats. Role of platelet-activating factor.

The role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in the induction of rat gastric mucosal damage by ischemia-reperfusion was examined with reference to hemodynamic characteristics. Gastric mucosal hemodynamics was measured continuously, using laser-Doppler flowmetry and reflectance spectrophotometry. Not only gastric mucosal damage but also characteristic hemodynamic change--that is, ischemia with congestion--was observed in the PAF infusion and reperfusion periods of the ischemia-reperfusion model. CV-6209, a specific PAF antagonist, significantly alleviated gastric mucosal damage and hemodynamic disturbance induced by ischemia-reperfusion. These results strongly suggest that PAF is a potent mediator of gastric mucosal damage during reperfusion in the ischemia-reperfusion model.