Study of Mucous Barrier as a Defensive Factor of Gastric Mucosa

Abstract

Mucous barrier was searched by the histochemical method of a covering mucous layer and by the measurement of precipitated mucus of gastric juice. The mucous barrier should be considered dividing into two components. The neutral polysaccharide stored within the surface epithelial cells must be a source of the mucus of the gastric juice. The storage of the polysaccharide was decreased by a long-term stimulation by histamine, and the precipitated mucus volume was also decreased shortly after the stimulation. Therefore, some kinds of the stimulation for the gastric secretion must be avoided for prevention of peptic ulcer. The oral administration of the sulfuric polysaccharide extracted from seaweed prevented the occurrence of experimental ulcer. It may be concluded that the exogeneous polysaccharide can take place of the endogeneous polysaccharide. These concepts can be applied to the treatment of peptic ulcer.