GASTRIC HISTAMINE CONTENT AND ULCER FORMATION IN RATS WITH ETHANOL-INDUCED INJURY - EFFECTS OF CINNARIZINE AND FLUNARIZINE

The effects of the calcium antagonists cinnarizine and flunarizine on gastric histamine content and ulcer formation in rats with ethanol-ind uced injury were studied. Gastric ulcers were inflicted by oral applic ation of 50% or 100% ethanol solution. Cinnarizine (20 mg/kg), flunari zine (10 mg/kg) and cimetidine (100 mg/kg) were administered orally Ih before ethanol. Histamine was assayed fluorometrically. No effect of the tested drugs on 50% ethanol-induced gastric damage was observed. C innarizine and flunarizine inhibited 100% ethanol-induced lesion forma tion by 71% (p<0.01) and 20% (p>0.05), respectively. The inhibition ex erted by cimetidine was 54% (p<0.05). Gastric histamine content was no t affected by 50% ethanol, while 100% ethanol decreased it twofold. No ne of the tested drugs induced significant changes in gastric histamin e levels. No correlation was obtained between the ulceroprotective eff ect of the used calcium antagonists and the gastric histamine content in ethanol-induced injury.