Effect of hyperprolactinaemia as induced by pituitary homografts under kidney capsule on gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats

The effect of hyperprolactinaemia, induced by two or four pituitary homogra fts under the kidney capsule, on gastric and duodenal ulcers has been studi ed. The acute gastric ulcer models used were pylorus ligation, indometacin- induced and ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. Chronic gastric ulcers were ind uced using acetic acid and duodenal ulcers by mercaptamine hydrochloride. A fter pylorus ligation, there was an approximate 30-40% increase in gastric secretion, a significant increase in total acidity (P < 0.01) and in the ul cer index (P < 0.01) in rats bearing pituitary homografts under the kidney capsule when compared with the sham-operated control. Hyperprolactinaemia d id not affect the formation of ethanol-induced gastric ulcers but showed a 40 % reduction in the development of indometacin-induced gastric ulcers. It also produced a 20 % increase in the ulcer index in acetic acid-induced ch ronic gastric ulcers and a 30 % increase in ulcer area in mercaptamine-indu ced duodenal ulcers. Our results showed that hyperprolactinaemia induced ga stric acid secretion and thereby aggravated gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats. Hyperprolactinaemia did not affect gastric cytoprotection.