Studies of Gastro Intestinal Disturbance in the Rat Models with Liver Disease

It is well known that gastric mucosal lesions are accompanied with cirrhotic patient in high frequency. In the present investigation, the causative mechanism of the gastro intestinal disturbance in liver diseases was studied using rat model. Two animal models of hepatic disease were made. One is the model of liver cirrhosis induced by Dimethylnitorosamin (DMNA). DMNA, in a dose of 30-3mg/kg BW a week was given intra peritoneally for 8 weeks. The other is the cholestatic model. Rat abdomen was opened, and one small tube was inserted into the bile duct and second one was canulated into the femoral vein. After the injection of taurocholic acid 10μmol/100g BW into the femoral vein, these two tubes were connected each other. As the examination of gastrointestinal mucosal disturbance, mucosal blood flow (BF) and potential difference (PD) in the stomach and the duodenum were measured. As a result, PD did not show remarkable changes in both rat models. But, BF decreased significantly in the cholestatic rats comparing with non-cholestatic condition. In the cirrhotic model, BF was slightly decreased compared with normal controls. These results seem to indicate that serum substances which are accumulating in the blood under cholestasis may disturb the blood circulation in the gastric mucosa. As a causative mechanism of gastric mucosal lesions in the patient with liver cirrhosis, cholestatic change may play an important role as same as the portal hypertension.