Ischaemia has been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal disorders. The aim of this investigation was to study the gastric mucosal electrical potential difference (PD), pH, blood flow and morphology during hypoxia, gastric ischaemia, and gastric ischaemia following inhibition of free radical formation with allopurinol. PD and pH were measured simultaneously with an intragastric microelectrode, and the PD values were corrected for the liquid junction potentials created by the intragastric pH variation. Blood flow was measured by the radiolabelled microsphere technique in 18 anaesthetized dogs. Short general hypoxia and short ischaemia caused reversible declines in PD, increases in pH, and no morphological damage. Ischaemia for 1 h caused a significant decline in PD persistent after reperfusion, an increase in pH, and morphological PD, but after reperfusion PD was normalized. Gross morphology was normal, and histology showed only minor damage. The results therefore support the hypothesis that oxygen-derived free radicals are involved in gastric mucosal injury occurring during ischaemia and reperfusion.