Stress ulcer presents acute lesion of gastric mucosa, which resulted from influence of different stressors: trauma,
shock, burns, drugs administration, various irritants etc. Since pathogenesis of stress ulcer is not completely clarified, the
most adequate therapy for the patients which suffer from it, is not defined yet. Esomeprazole is a S-isomer of omeprazole
and is the first inhibitor of proton pump synthesized as an isomer. Our aim was to test effects of esomeprazole, given during
pretreatment and posttreatment period, on progress of alcohol induced stress ulcer lesions. We had experiments on sexually
mature Wistar rats weight 200-250 g. Alcohol stress was induced by intragastric administration of 1 mL 96% alcohol.
Alcohol stress produced massive submucosal lesions in glandular part of stomach. Macroscopic lesions were verified
histologicaly. Intragastric pretreatment administration of esomeprazole (20 mg/kg BW) significantly (p<0,001) reduced gastric lesions. Intragastric post-treatment administration of esomeprazole (20 mg/kg BW) did not reduce gastric lesions. Esomeprazole (20 mg/kg BW) administrated in pretreatment period of alcohol induced stress significantly decreased dimensions of stress ulcer lesions in rats, while the same dose administrated in posttreatment period did not cause that effect.