Zinc deficiency: its role in gastric secretion and stress-induced gastric ulceration in rats.

The effects of zinc deficiency on gastric secretion and on cold-restraint stress-induced ulceration in rat stomachs have been studied. Administration of graded zinc deficient diets for 5 weeks significantly depressed the serum zinc concentration and decreased body weight gain in the rats. These diets significantly increased the gastric secretory volume, acid and pepsin. Zinc deficiency produced or aggravated the formation of glandular ulceration in the absence or presence of stress, respectively; it also decreased the mast cell count in the gastric glandular mucosa. It is concluded that zinc deficiency adversely affects the rats by reducing the body weight gain and producing ulceration which is probably mast cell-mediated. On the other hand, it increases gastric secretory functions.