Aspirin and bile acid induced gastric mucosal damage: protection by prostaglandins and antacids.

The importance of bile acids in causing gastric mucosal haemorrhage and the protective effect of prostaglandins and antacids has been studied in a series of studies using an animal model. Bile acids alone did not damage the gastric mucosa, but conjugated bile acids together with aspirin and hydrochloric acid may cause gastric mucosal haemorrhage. The prostaglandin analogue 15(R)15-methyl-E2 methyl ester protected the gastric mucosa against damage caused by conjugated bile acids together with aspirin or hydrochloric acid. Gastric mucosal protection was also achieved with antacids, but this effect appeared to be mainly on the aspirin rather than on the bile acid component of the damage. Bile acid binding, if it did occur, did not prevent the bile acid from increasing aspirin-induced gastric mucosal damage.