Gastric mucosal cellular changes induced by indomethacin (NSAID) in male albino rats.

Indomethacin (2 mg/100 g body weight), induces haemorrhagic gastric ulcers in albino rats. The incidence and severity of ulceration increased with starvation period. Indomethacin caused little or no effect on the cellular and the nuclear diameter of parietal and chief cells while reduction was observed in mucus and endocrine cells. The effect was enhanced with increased duration of starvation. Both mucous and endocrine cells decreased in their number after 72 hr of starvation. Thus prolonged starvation enhanced the gastric mucosal damage induced by indomethacin.