Effects of intracerebroventricular bombesin on gastric ulcers and gastric glycoproteins in rats.

Effects of intracerebroventricular injection of bombesin on gastric mucosal glycoproteins and acid secretion were studied to clarify its action mechanism for experimental ulcers in rats. Bombesin (10 micrograms) prevented stress ulcers and indomethacin ulcers. Aspirin (300 mg/kg p.o.) reduced the high molecular weight glycoproteins extracted from the gastric mucosa, and increased the degraded glycoproteins extracted from gastric juice in pylorus-ligated rats. Bombesin inhibited the aspirin-induced changes of the glycoproteins. Bombesin also inhibited basal gastric acid secretion. These results support the hypothesis that bombesin may affect the central nervous system's control of both gastric defensive and aggressive factors, which contributes to its antiulcerogenic action.