Ethanol induced gastric lesions Oral administration of 40% ethanol produced severe lesions in the gastric mucosa. The decoction of Rhizoma Cyperi at concentrations ranging from 1.25 to 4.0 g/kg (p.o.)decreased the formation of ethanol induced gastric lesions in a dose-dependent manner. Although a significant protective effect was also observed with a subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of the decoction, the activities were similar at doses of 0.3 and 0.6 g/kg (Table 1). Subcutaneous administration of indomethacin showed no ulcerogenic effect on gastric mucosa and did not potentiate the severity of mucosal lesions. However, the gastric protective effectafforded by the decoction of Rhizoma Cyperi was significantly reduced (Table 1).Gastric emptying of resin pellets Oral administratino of 40% ethanol or a decoction of Rhizoma Cyperi alone did not affect the gastric motility of the rats, whilst oral or subcutaneous administration of Rhizoma Cyperi markedly delayed the gastric emptying rate of ethanol treated rats (Table 2).There was no influence on the mucus content in the gastric wall for the rats treated by the decoction of Rhizoma Cyperi (p.o. 1.25–2.5 g/kg).