Acute ethanol administration: effects on stress-induced gastric and duodenal ulcer in rats

Rats were given 6% ethanol (v/v) as their only source of liquid for 4 days. On the basis of ethanol consumption (g/kg/day), animals were divided into high, medium and low ethanol consuming groups. A non-ethanol exposed control group was also included. Following a 24 hr food deprivation period, animals were restrained for 3 hr. No differences in gastric ulcer frequency or severity were noted with the exception of a slight tendency toward a lower incidence among ethanol consuming rats relative to controls. An unusual observation was the high incidence of duodenal ulcer observed only among ethanol consuming rats. This ethanol-stress interaction is discussed in terms of an animal's history of ethanol exposure.