Effect of cimetidine on the gastric bacterial flora.

Abstract

Bacteriological studies were carried out on samples of gastric juice obtained from 31 patients with peptic ulcer before and immediately after a month's course of cimetidine. After cimetidine there were major increases in both total bacterial counts and counts of nitrate-reducing organisms and qualitative changes suggesting the establishment of a flora which included large numbers of "faecal" organisms.