Asian Science Citation Index is committed to provide an authoritative, trusted and significant information by the
coverage of the most important and influential journals
to meet the needs of the global scientific community.
In the present study, the effects of long-term, low level (Lo-Pb) and high level (Hi-Pb) exposure of rats to lead on total gastric juice secretion and experimental ulceration were studied. Rats were exposed to low (0.01%; 100 ppm) or high (0.5%, 5,000 ppm, HiPb) levels of lead for a period of 15 weeks. The formation of ulcers was induced by hypothermic stress, the administration of indomethacin and the application of an HCl/Ethanol mixture. Exposure of animals to lead significantly increased gastric lesions produced by HCl/Ethanol mixture and indomethacin but not those induced by restraint stress. Both the LoPb and HiPb treatments significantly increased gastric acidity and reduced gastric juice volume. The results underscore the role of cumulative lead exposure in the aetiology of gastric ulcers in high lead areas.
