Gastric mucosal damage induced by endotoxin shock and its prevention by naloxone and anti-ulcer drugs in rats.

Administration of endotoxin (20 mg/kg i.p.) produced a moderate degree of gastric mucosal damage in rats. The lesions remained confined to the glandular mucosa and consisted of small punctiform lesions, erosions and petechial hemorrhage. The characteristic feature of these lesions was a typical submucosal ecchymosis in the glandular stomach observed in about 30% of the animals. Pretreatment with ranitidine, pirenzepine, proglumide, sucralfate and naloxone produced varying degrees of protection. The ulcerogenic effect of endotoxin shock is apparently mediated through the release of endorphins.