Effect of acute verapamil treatment on cold restraint-induced gastric lesions in rats with lesioned nucleus basalis magnocellularis

Our recent studies suggested that there were no differences in the number a nd type of cold restraint-induced gastric lesions (petechiae and erosions) between control and nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM)-lesioned rats. Ha ving in mind that calcium antagonists can prevent the development of gastri c stress ulcer in control rats, the aim of the present study was directed t o compare the effect of verapamil in the prevention of cold restraint-induc ed gastric lesions in control and NBM-lesioned rats. Therefore, 30 min befo re the stress, control (intact control and sham-operated) rats as well as r ats with bilateral electrolytic lesions of NBM were treated with saline (1 ml/kg s.c.) or verapamil (1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg s.c.) and exposed to cold restraint for 2 hr. Verapamil, in doses of 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, signif icantly decreased the number and length of gastric erosions (p < 0.05) in c ontrol rats, while in NBM-lesioned rats, the same doses of verapamil signif icantly decreased the number of gastric petechiae (p < 0.01). Since the ant iulcer treatment with verapamil express different effects in the prevention of the two types of gastric lesions in control and NBM-lesioned rats, it c an be concluded that in NBM-lesioned rats there may exist an alteration of the mechanisms involved in stress-induced gastric petechiae and erosions.