Protective Effect by Potassium Chloride against Gastric Carcinogenesis Induced by N‐Methyl‐N'‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The effects of oral potassium supplementation on the enhanced induction of gastric carcinogenesis by N‐methyl‐N'‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and the norepinephrine concentration in their gastric wall were investigated. The SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) as controls were given a solution of the carcinogen for 25 weeks and then 1% KCl solution or tap water to drink. In Week 52, the incidence of gastric cancers and their number per rat and the norepinephrine concentration in the gastric wall were significantly greater in SHR than in WKY. Prolonged oral treatment of SHR with potassium significantly reduced the incidence of gastric cancers and their number per rat, as well as the blood pressure and the norepinephrine concentration in the antral portion of the gastric wall. These findings indicate that prolonged treatment with KCl attenuated the enhancement of gastric carcinogenesis by MNNG in SHR.