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Zinc deficiency delays gastric ulcer healing in rats

  • Esophageal, Gastric, And Duodenal Disorders
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Abstract

Zinc is an important element in wound healing. Zinc compounds hasten the healing of gastric ulcers, by an unknown mechanism(s). We studied the effect of the induction of zinc deficiency on gastric ulcer healing. Rats were given a control or zinc-deficient diet for six weeks and then subjected to the induction of acetic acid-induced chronic gastric ulcers. Four days later, zinc-deficient rats were divided into two groups. In the first group, the zinc-deficient diet was continued. In the second group, the diet was changed to the control diet. Zinc-deficient rats had a mean serum zinc concentration approximately 70% of that in controls. Zinc deficiency did not affect the formation of gastric ulcers; however, it reduced cell proliferation by day 4 and delayed ulcer healing. Zinc supplementation brought zinc to control levels within a week, but failed to reverse the delay in ulcer healing. We conclude that zinc is crucial for healing of gastric ulcers, especially at the early stage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Third Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka city University Medical School, 1-5-7 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, 545, Osaka, Japan

    Toshio Watanabe MD, Tetsuo Arakawa MD, PhD, Takashi Fukuda MD, PhD, Kazuhide Higuchi MD, PhD & Kenzo Kobayashi MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Toshio Watanabe MD
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  2. Tetsuo Arakawa MD, PhD
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  3. Takashi Fukuda MD, PhD
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  4. Kazuhide Higuchi MD, PhD
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  5. Kenzo Kobayashi MD, PhD
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Watanabe, T., Arakawa, T., Fukuda, T. et al. Zinc deficiency delays gastric ulcer healing in rats. Digest Dis Sci 40, 1340–1344 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02065548

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02065548

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