Is arachidonic acid protected gastric mucosa more resistant to rechallenge with a second dose of ethanol?

In our previous studies we found that pretreatment with arachidonic acid protects the gastric mucosa against ethanol-induced injury. In the present experiments we studied whether: gastric mucosa protected with arachidonic acid against ethanol injury is more resistant to a subsequent second ethanol injury, and whether a second ethanol dose produces further damage of the nonprotected damaged gastric mucosa in a control group. We found that: rechallenge with a second ethanol dose increases the extent of gastric mucosal necrosis in control rats; once protected (with arachidonic acid) the gastric mucosa is more resistant to subsequent ethanol rechallenge but some deep necrosis occurs and restoration of the surface epithelium is somewhat impaired when compared to the initial injury and repair. Thus, pretreatment of the gastric mucosa with a prostaglandin precursor dietary essential fatty acid confers excellent protection against alcohol damage with some residual protective activity against a subsequent rechallenge with alcohol.