ADRENALECTOMY, BUT NOT VAGOTOMY, REVERSES THE WORSENING EFFECT OF CA2+ BLOCKERS ON ETHANOL-INDUCED GASTRIC-LESIONS IN RATS

This study examines the influence of the adrenals and of the vagus nerve on the lesion-worsening action of nitrendipine or verapamil on 75% ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in rats. Bilateral adrenalectomy antagonized ethanol lesion aggravation by nitrendipine or verapamil; instead, dose-related lesion reduction was seen. Dexamethasone treatment of adrenalectomized rats restored the lesion-enhancing effects of both Ca2+ channel blockers. Bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy failed to abolish the adverse action of nitrendipine or verapamil on ethanol lesions. The findings suggest that the adrenal corticoids modulate the worsening effect of Ca2+ channel antagonists on ethanol-induced gastric damage; when the influence of the adrenal steroids is removed, these compounds become gastroprotective.