Observations on dopamine receptor antagonists and gastric ulceration associated with experimental anorexia cachexia

Gastric ulceration is frequently reported to occur in tumour-bearing animals and man, even when such tumours are not associated with organs of digestion. That central and peripheral dopamine (DA) containing neurones may be relevant to this phenomenon, is supported by the fact that the DA receptor antagonists domperidone (0.1 and 0.05 mg/kg) and pimozide (0.1 mg/kg) were observed to prevent gastric ulceration commonly reported in rats bearing the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma. Daily administration of these drugs prevented the formation of ulcers similar to those observed in vehicle-treated animals. These results demonstrate that DA neurone function is important in the formation of gastric ulcers in tumour-bearing animals and suggest that such compounds may be useful in cancer management.