Effects of elcatonin, a synthetic analogue of eel calcitonin, on acute gastric and duodenal lesions and gastroduodenal function in rats

We studied the effects of elcatonin (eel calcitonin), on various gastric and duodenal lesions, gastric acid and duodenal alkaline secretion, and gastric motility in rats. Elcatonin at 1-30 unit/kg, given subcutaneously, dose-dependently inhibited the development of HCl-aspirin-, HCl-ethanol-, water-immersion stress- and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions. This agent also significantly prevented the formation of duodenal lesions induced by indomethacin plus histamine at 30 unit/kg, although it showed only a tendency of inhibition against mepirizole-induced duodenal lesions. 16, 16-Dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (3-30 micrograms/kg), given orally as a reference drug, showed a potent inhibition against all types of lesions tested herein at the dose of 3 micrograms/kg or greater. Elcatonin dose-dependently inhibited gastric secretion (volume, acid and pepsin output) in pylorus-ligated rats and gastric motility in conscious rats, but had no effect on duodenal alkaline secretion in anesthetized rats. On the other hand, 16, 16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 at 10 micrograms/kg, given intraduodenally, significantly inhibited gastric secretion and motility, but stimulated duodenal alkaline secretion. We conclude that elcatonin markedly protects the gastrointestinal mucosa from injury induced by stress or various irritants. These effects might be in part accounted for by the antisecretory and antimotility activities of this peptide, although some other unknown mechanisms may be involved in the mucosal protection afforded by elcatonin.