Gastric mucosal cell loss caused by aspirin and alcohol.

Gastric epithelial cell loss was studied in healthy volunteers before and after intragastric instillation of four aspirin (ASA) formulations and three strengths of alcohol. Each test solution was administered three times over a period of three hours during one of the experiments. Three of the four aspirin formulations significantly increased gastric epithelial cell loss. Microencapsulated aspirin increased gastric epithelial cell loss significantly, but only after the third dose. Alcohol, 10% (wine), increased cell loss to a similar extent as did microencapsulated aspirin. Alcohol, 20% (campari), and 40% (whisky), significantly enhanced cell loss to such a degree as was elicited by the two strengths of soluble aspirin. Thus, gastric cell loss increased dose-dependently after both aspirin and alcohol. The data suggest that, in man, gastric epithelial cell damage caused by different aspirin formulations and alcohol concentrations is reproducible and dose-dependent.

[Campylobacter-like bacteria (C. pylori) in the healthy stomach?]. / Campylobacterähnliche Bakterien ("C. pylori") im gesunden Magen?

UNLABELLED: Some authors recently published reports on the findings of unidentified S-shaped spiral bacteria, so called "Campylobacter pylori", in the gastric epithelium and the significant connection between these strains and gastric diseases. 24 fasting gastric juice samples of young healthy volunteers were now analysed bacteriologically using the campylobacter isolation techniques. RESULTS: It was not possible to find the so called "C. pylori" in the healthy stomach.

Nitrate and nitrite in normal gastric juice. Precursors of the endogenous N-nitroso compound synthesis.

The nitrate and nitrite levels of 75 gastric juice samples from young and healthy fasting volunteers were examined. For both parameters a dependence on the specific pH value of the secretion was detected. The rise of the nitrite level from normal 0.1 ppm in the acid to 1.4 ppm in the neutral range can be explained by the activity of the bacterial flora even in the healthy stomach, which has already been demonstrated earlier. The hitherto existing theory that nitrate originates exclusively from the salivary glands, and if not reduced to nitrite by bacteria in the mouth cavity, is brought into the stomach via swallowed saliva only, does not explain the observation that there is a rise in nitrate concentration in neutral juice, too. Further investigations have to be made to see whether there are other endogenous sources of nitrate except the salivary glands in the gastrointestinal tract. The environmental pollutant nitrate must be paid more attention to in future.

Video endoscopy. Fundamentals and problems.

The video system represents a new endoscopic technique with major advantages, some of which point the way into the future. This system permits a large number of persons to participate directly in the examination. Documentation is more comprehensive and more reliable, and pathological processes can be observed with the aid of video tape recordings. It is to be expected that the optical elements of the video endoscope will become smaller, while the instruments will become longer. Since there is no loss of light with these endoscopes, it would appear possible that they will make the entire small bowel accessible to inspection. Compared with conventional standards, the colour quality on the video monitor screen, in particular in the red range, and of the video photograph still leaves something to be desired. User-friendly equipment provided with an automatic colour adaption facility, is required. The good thing about the future is, of course, that it comes slowly - and this applies to video endoscopy, too. Since July, 1984, our department has been acquiring experience with the video endoscope manufactured by the firm of Welch Allyn, New York, and, in the meantime, we have examined 97 patients with this system, 80 in the upper, 17 in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The heart of the video endoscope is a light-sensitive microprocessor silicon chip, roughly 4 X 4 mm in size, which acts like a miniature television camera. Properly, it is termed a charge coupled device chip (CCD chip). Utilizing the crystalline structure of the silicon chip, and its property for thermal oxidation, such electronic components as diodes, capacitors and resistors are integrated onto it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Bacterial colonization of the stomach caused by acid neutralization and inhibition of stomach emptying]. / Keimbesiedelung des Magens durch Säureneutralisation und Hemmung der Magenentleerung.

Gastric bacterial overgrowth was studied in 8 healthy volunteers. Total bacterial counts, nitrate-reducing bacteria and nitrite concentration were determined in fasting gastric juice before and after 4 weeks of treatment with a strong or with a mild antacid drug, a placebo preparation and the spasmolytic agent papaverine which is known to inhibit gastric evacuation. Placebo therapy and the mild antacid did not change any of the above parameters studied. The strong antacid caused a significant increase in the pH of gastric contents which was accompanied by an enormous increase in total bacterial counts, nitrate-reducing bacteria and nitrite concentration. Papaverine which did not cause a significant elevation of pH also definitely increased bacterial counts and nitrite concentration of gastric juice. Four weeks following termination of each treatment procedure, however, all changes outlined above had returned to pretreatment values. These results indicate that reversible gastric bacterial overgrowth under therapeutical conditions may occur when acidity of the stomach is reduced or gastric evacuation is retarded.

[Dynamics of endogenous bacterial nitrite formation in the stomach. 1. Follow-up studies in humans under natural conditions]. / Dynamik der endogenen bakteriellen Nitritbildung im Magen 1. Mitteilung: Verlaufsbeobachtung am Menschen unter natürlichen Bedingungen.

The fasting gastric secretion was analysed both bacteriologically and chemically in 15 young, voluntary test subjects with histories of a healthy stomach and physiological gastric secretion tests (Basal Acid Output, Peak Acid Output) made at regular intervals of two and 4 weeks over a period of three and six months. Two thirds of the persons studied showed during the entire period of examination the same pH values with tolerable variations and, as a result, the same order of magnitude for the total germ count, the colony count of the nitrite-forming bacteria and for the NO2- concentration. From this the conclusion can be drawn that, depending on the acidity of the individual stomach, there is an autonomous bacterial flora, which repeated examinations have shown to remain unaltered in quality and quantity. It was only in one third of the test persons that major variations of the pH values could be recorded occasionally. This, however, invariably led to corresponding changes in the bacteriological and chemical parameters. For requirements imposed by preventive medicine and hygiene, in future greater attention must be paid to the bacterial flora of the intact stomach, while making due allowance for the endogenous nitrite formation.

[Endogenous synthesis of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds: bacterial flora and nitrite formation in the healthy human stomach]. / Die endogene Synthese kanzerogener N-Nitrosoverbindungen: Bakterienflora und Nitritbildung im gesunden menschlichen Magen.

The endogenous synthesis of cancerogenic N-nitroso compounds: Bacterial flora and nitrite formation in the human stomach. In the discussion of the endogenous nitrosamine synthesis, nitrites play a decisive role. Since in a healthy stomach the acidity important for the nitrosamine formation is present, but since this acid environment is hostile to the bacterial growth and thus counteracts bacterial endogenous nitrite formation, the oral cavity has so far been regarded as the main site of endogenous nitrite formation. An analysis of 130 gastric secretions taken from empty stomachs has demonstrated that also in a healthy stomach considerable germ counts may be obtained in part when acidity is lowered physiologically (e.g. at night). Nitrite concentrations, which are six times as high as the quantities supplied with the saliva at the same time, are also produced in the acid pH range from 4 to 6. Consequently, in a healthy stomach as well the quantity of nitrite available for an endogenous nitrosamine synthesis is by far higher than has been assumed previously. This physiological risk should be allowed for in evaluating the pathophysiological or therapeutic changes in the gastric environment.