The role of cimetidine in the prevention of stress induced gastric mucosal injury.

The results of these studies assessed the value of pretreatment with cimetidine in the prevention of gastric mucosal erosions secondary to stress. Ninety-four female C-D rats were divided into two trials using cold restraint stress. In trial 1, intraperitoneal cimetidine, administered prior to stress, significantly reduced the number of glandular mucosal lesions per animal, X +/- S.E.M., compared with saline solution controls, 1.2 +/- 0.5 versus 8.4 +/- 1.7. In trial 2, addition of hydrochloric acid given intragastrically to rats pretreated with cimetidine resulted in the same lesion rate per stomach as in the saline solution control group, 5.9 +/- 0.7 versus 6.1 +/- 0.6. Rats receiving cimetidine alone exhibited a reduced lesion rate, 1.2 +/- 0.4. The results demonstrate the ability of cimetidine to reduce gastric injury produced by cold induced stress. Furthermore, this action appears to be related to the pharmacologic effects which decrease gastric acid production.