Different national and regional dietary habits, spices, temperature of the ingested food etc may influence the formation of peptic ulcer. Ulceration is regarded as the result of imbalance between erosive forces of acid pepsin digestion and mucosal resistance. The cells normally, lining the stomach or intestine no longer provides protection against the causative effect of stomach acid. The acid and pepsin digest mucous coat of the stomach and cause ulcer. The normal stomach is obviously capable of resisting this digestion by its own secretion.
Ulcer occurs only in the presence of acid and pepsin.
Acid secretion has more importance in causing duodenal ulcer than gastric ulcer. Adrenal glands - ACTH and corticosteroids after prolonged administration can stimulate gastric secretion. Estrogen - Pregnancy influences peptic ulcer. Women in premenopausal state are relatively immune to peptic ulcer. Gastrin is a local hormone.