ABSTRACT
We studied the effect of five antihypertensive drugs on ethanol-induced gastric haemorrhagic lesions in rats. While hydralazine aggravates these lesions, nifedipine and propranolol have a protective action. On the other hand, enalapril and prazosin have no effect. Thus the effects of antihypertensive drugs on ethanol-induced lesions do not always correlate with their reported actions on gastric mucosal blood flow.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Drug Interactions , Ethanol/adverse effects , Gastric Mucosa/blood supply , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/chemically induced , Hydralazine/pharmacology , Male , Propranolol/pharmacology , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Stomach Diseases/chemically induced , Vasodilator Agents/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Endogenous nitric oxide has been proposed as one of the mediators of gastric cytoprotection. We studied the effect of the vasodilator hydralazine which acts via nitric oxide and thus is expected to have a gastroprotective action. However, hydralazine aggravates ethanol-induced gastric lesions. This effect is not influenced by pretreatment with the selective alpha 1 adrenergic antagonist prazosin but is abolished by the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril suggesting the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system.