Experiments were performed in 8 healthy volunteers to determine the effect of graded doses of oral 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandine (PG) E2 on the ethanol-induced drop in gastric potential difference (PD). All doses of 16,16-dimethyl PG E2 between 1.0 and 20 micrograms did not prevent the initial fall in gastric PD induced by 48% ethanol. However, baseline PD-values recovered faster in the presence of 16,16-dimethyl PG E2. This effect was shown to be dose-dependent.