The effects of zinc sulphate on vagal-induced mast cell changes and ulcers in the rat stomach.

The effects of zinc sulphate pretreatment on the formation of gastric ulcers, changes in intragastric pressure and changes in the gastric mucosal mast cell count induced by electrical vagal stimulation were studied in anaesthetized rats. Vagal stimulation produced a high gastric glandular ulcer incidence and ulcer index, increased the intragastric pressure, and reduced the number of granulated mast cells in the gastric mucosa and submucosa. Pretreatment with zinc sulphate (22, 44 ot 88 mg/kg), injected i.p. 48 h beforehand, reversed the changes in these parameters in a dose-related manner. These observations suggest that the inhibitory effects of zinc sulphate on mucosal mast cell degranulation may account for its ability to antagonise vagal-induced gastric glandular ulceration. The mechanisms involved in the aetiology of this type of gastric ulcer are discussed in the light of these results.