The activities of 11 marker enzymes from the gastric and duodenal mucosa were determined in 15 patients with active duodenal ulcer disease before therapy, after 4 weeks of therapy with the prostaglandin E1 analogue misoprostol, 400 micrograms twice daily, and after another 4 weeks without any therapy. Another 15 patients were given a high-dose liquid antacid regimen. The activities were measured in homogenized material obtained with forceps through an endoscope. The healing rates of the two groups at 4 weeks were 53% and 80%, respectively. No changes in mucosal inflammation were noted during therapy. During treatment with misoprostol the activities in the descending duodenum of the membrane enzymes alkaline phosphatase, leucyl-beta-naphthylamidase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and 5'-nucleotidase increased towards the values seen in normal controls. Despite a higher healing rate, no changes in the enzyme activities occurred in the group given high-dose antacid therapy. Four weeks after cessation of therapy the enzyme activities in the misoprostol group were not significantly different from the pretreatment values. In the biopsy specimens from the duodenal bulb the activities of monoamine oxidase fell during treatment with misoprostol and were restored to the pretreatment activity when therapy was stopped. In the stomach mucosa the enzyme activities were largely unchanged during treatment with both misoprostol and antacids. These results indicate that misoprostol and antacids have different mechanisms of action but may also suggest that the demonstrated enzymic changes are unrelated to the healing process.