Effects of ghrelin (4 μg per rat, i.c.v. ) with or without L-NAME (70 mg kg−1, s.c.) on gastric mucosal PGE2 levels determined in normal mucosa (a) or after oral administration (30 min after ghrelin) of 1 mL 50% (vol./vol.) EtOH (b). The saline group received 1 mL of distilled water instead of 50% EtOH. L-NAME was administered 15 min before ghrelin injection. Gastric mucosal PGE2 levels were measured 90 min after ghrelin injection. PGE2 was extracted from homogenized gastric mucosa and measured by EIA. Each column represents the mean±s.e.mean of at least eight animals. *P<0.05, ***P<0.001 vs control group; ○○P<0.01, ○○○P<0.001 vs saline+EtOH group; §§P<0.01 vs ghrelin group. EIA, enzyme immunoassay; EtOH, ethanol; L-NAME, N-ωnitro-L-arginine methyl ester; i.c.v., intracerebroventricular; PGE2, prostaglandin E2.