[The effect of aspirin, antacids, alcohol, and bile acids on transmural potential difference of the human stomach (author's transl)].

The effect of orally administered buffered and unbuffered aspirin, antacids, alcohol and bile salts on functional changes in the gastric mucosal barrier was assessed by measuring gastric transmural potential differences (PD) in healthy subjects. In contrast to buffered aspirin, unbuffered aspirin caused a marked decrease in transmural PD due to its known effect of enhancing H+ back-diffusion. Simultaneous administration of antacids prevented the aspirin-induced drop of transmural PD. Ethanol (20% w/v), whisky (45% w/v), wine (6-7% ethanol), bile salts and ox-bile reduced transmural PD in healthy subjects. The measurement of transmural PD is a simple and sensitive method for detecting functional changes in the gastric mucosal barrier induced by drugs known to alter mucosal permeability.