The effect of aspirin and anti-ulcer drugs on gastric mucosal prostaglandin E.

The effect of single doses of aspirin, cimetidine, ranitidine, sucralfate, dextran, colloidal bismuth subcitrate, carbenoxolone and antacid on gastric mucosal prostaglandin E (PGE) content was studied in normal subjects. Endoscopic gastric specimens were taken from the body and antrum before and 90 minutes after drug ingestion and the PGE content was measured by radio-immunoassay. There was more PGE in the antrum than in the body (4.02 +/- 3.09 v. 2.80 +/- 2.31 ng PGE/mg protein; P less than 0.001). Aspirin, sucralfate and antacid reduced the amount of PGE in the antral mucosa (2.85 +/- 0.54-1.44 +/- 0.44; P less than 0.001; 3.04 +/- 1.01-1.94 +/- 0.74; P less than 0.03; and 5.06 +/- 0.91-3.54 +/- 0.73; P less than 0.006; ng PGE/mg protein respectively). None of the drugs had any effect on the levels measured in the body mucosa.