Mechanism of action of reserpine in producing gastric haemorrhage and erosion in the mouse

Abstract

Gastric haemorrhage was produced regularly in mice within 6 hours of the subcutaneous injection of a large dose (2 to 10 mg./kg.) of reserpine or of deserpidine. Rescinnamine, syrosingopine (SU-3118), and tetrabenazine (Ro 1-9569) were less active. Gastric haemorrhage was also produced within 6 hours when 5-hydroxytryptamine (10 mg./kg.) was injected every half-hour. Neither reserpine nor 5-hydroxytryptamine produced gastric haemorrhage in mice which had been vagotomized by tying the oesophagus at the cardio-oesophageal junction or which had been pre-treated with iproniazid. Amphetamine was less effective than iproniazid in preventing gastric haemorrhage after reserpine, and the following drugs were ineffective: cocaine, methyl phenidate (Ritalin), amarin, caffeine, nikethamide, lysergic acid diethylamide and its 2-bromo derivative (BOL148). Gastric haemorrhage was not observed in mice which had been given substantial doses of atropine or of hexamethonium before reserpine. The incidence of haemorrhage was substantially reduced by treatment with an antacid mixture. It is concluded that reserpine-like drugs cause gastric haemorrhage by a mechanism which has an important central component and which involves the liberation of 5-hydroxytryptamine.