Augmentation of gastric acid secretion by chloroquine and amodiaquine in the rat stomach

Gastrointestinal mucosal integrity has been shown to be altered by chloroquine and amodiaquine, although the exact mechanism is not clear. Since Gastric Acid Secretion (GAS) plays significant role in the etiology of ulcer, the present study was aimed at investigating the effect of chloroquine and amodiaquine on GAS, Parietal Cell Mass (PCM) and Gastric Mucous Cell Population (GMP) in rats. Male albino wistar rats were randomly assigned into three groups viz: control, chloroquine (CQ, 3 mg/kg), amodiaquine (AQ, 10 mg/kg). Basal GAS as well as secretion in response to histamine and carbachol was measured by continuous perfusion of the stomach with normal saline (1ml/minute) under urethane anaesthesia (0.6 mg/100 g). After obtaining a steady basal output response to normal saline in all animals, the antimalaria drugs were administered intramuscularly and the peak responses to each drug obtained. Further assessment of the roles of histaminergic and muscarinic receptors were done using ranitidine (H₂ antagonist) and atropine (M antagonist) in the treated animals. PCM and GMP were determined in the stomach samples by histometry. The basal acid output was 0.70 ± 0.01 mmol/10 mins. Chloroquine and amodiaquine produced increase in acid output to a peak of 1.35 ±0.03 mmol/10 mins (92.9%, p<0.001) and 1.40 ± 0.03 mmol/10 mins (100%, p<0.001) respectively. Histamine and carbachol elicited 107% and 100% increase acid secretion when compared with the basal output respectively. CQ and AQ potentiated histamine-induced secretory rate which peaked at 1.60 ± 0.02 mmol/10 mins and 1.70 ± 0.03 mmol/10 mins respectively. Similarly, the carbachol-induced acid secretory response was potentiated by CQ and AQ to a peak of 1.45 ± 0.02 mmol/10 mins and 1.50 ± 0.03 mmol/10 mins (p<0.05). Ranitidine and atropine attenuated histamine and carbachol induced acid secretion, but did not abolish it. CQ and AQ increased significantly the parietal cell numbers in the gastric mucosa (21±0.7 and 24±0.7 versus 15.2±0.8 control; p<0.05). On the other hand, mucus cell population was significant decreased by CQ and AQ (15±0.3 and 13±0.85 versus 17.4±0.5 control; p<0.05) respectively. Chloroquine and amodiaquine increased gastric acid secretion in rats. They stimulated histamine (H₂) and muscarinic (M₃) receptors, and enhanced parietal cell mass.

Keywords
Chloroquine; Amodiaquine; Gastric acid secretion; Histamine; Parietal cell mass