Dietary factors in relation to the distribution of duodenal ulcer in India as assessed by studies in rats

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of duodenal ulcer is less in the northern wheat-eating regions of India and China than in the southern rice-eating areas.

Methods and results: Experiments were conducted on rat peptic ulcer models in which controls were fed on either known ulcerogenic rice or rice plus tapioca diets or on non-ulcerogenic stock diet. By using an ulcerogenic diet and pyloric ligation, unrefined wheat, wheat bran and their respective oils were protective against ulceration. Refined wheat, wheat germ and its oil were not protective. Freshly milled rice and unmilled rice were protective, but stored rice bran and its oil increased the ulceration. Fresh rice bran oil was not ulcerogenic, but on storage, it became ulcerogenic. By using stock diet and alcohol-induced ulceration, the findings with whole wheat oil, wheat bran and wheat germ oil were confirmed. Rats fed on the stock diet subjected to pyloric ligation developed ulcers following intragastric injection of stored rice bran oil. This ulcerogenicity was counteracted by whole wheat oil.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the factor of diet may well explain the regional differences in the prevalence of duodenal ulceration between North and South India and China where other etiologic factors are similar.