Effects of omeprazole on ethanol lesions

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to study the effects of omeprazole on no rmal and ethanol damaged gastric mucosa, and to estimate plasma gastrin lev els following the: administration of omeprazole for 2 weeks. The dosage of omeprazole was 50 mg/kg body weight. once daily via gavage. In omeprazole t reated animals, serum gastrin levels showed statistically significant incre ases compared with the control and ethanol treated animals. Our results ind icate that omeprazole has no protective effect on ethanol-induced alteratio ns in gastric mucosa and, in Fact, appears to produce worsened lesions. In achlorohydric doses- omeprazole can induce significant gastrin levels with consequent hypertrophy and hyperplasia of enterochromaffin-like cells and s omatostatin cells. It is believed that this powerful drug should be reserve d for patients who are refractory to standard H-2-receptor antagonist thera py. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.