Smoking exerts unfavourable effect on human gastroduodenal mucosal endogenous prostacyclin-level.

It seems that endogenous prostacyclin is one of the most important natural protective substances in the (human) gastroduodenal mucosa. According to the observations, in humans there is a definite tendency toward decreased endogenous prostacyclin production in the gastroduodenal mucosa of smokers. This phenomenon draws attention to the possible role of smoking in the development of peptic ulcer disease.