The effect of the synthetic prostaglandin analog 15 (R) 15 methyl-PGE2 methyl ester on gastric mucosal hemorrhage induced in rats by taurocholic acid and hydrochloric acid.

The incidence of mucosal hemorrhage induced in rats by the oral administration of taurocholic acid (TCA) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) both singly and in combination was investigated. The effect of prostaglandin 15 (R) 15 methyl-PGE2 methyl ester (Me-PGE2) on the occurrence of hemorrhage induced by TCA with HCl was also studied. The incidence of hemorrhage induced by TCA (10 mM) alone and HCl (160 mM) alone was minimal and not different from that induced by the control solution. The combination of TCA (10 mM) and HCl (160 mM) produced bleeding in 67.7% of animals. The addition of 15 (R) 15 methyl-PGE2 methyl ester (9.9 micronM, corresponding to 50 microng/Kg) significantly reduced the incidence of hemorrhage induced by the combination of TCA with HCl from 67.7% to 31.3%. This suggests that this synthetic prostaglandin may be of value in conditions thought to be associated with reflux of bile into the stomach.