[Fluorescence polarization studies of rat gastric surfactant: effects of aspirin]

Rat gastric surfactant has been studied by fluorescence polarization, both in a basal state and after an aspirin challenge. Gastric surfactant appeared as a very viscous molecular organisation of phospholipids and was disorganised by low, non ulcerogenic, concentrations of aspirin. The method presented herein allows one to study the human gastric surfactant under physiological and pathological condition and should help in the design of synthetic surfactants for a therapeutical purpose.