MEASUREMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ANTI-ULCER DRUG LANSOPRAZOLE ON RECUPERATION OF THE HISTOCHEMICAL ULTRASTRUCTURE AND MORPHOMETRICAL PROFILES OF THE GASTRIC MUCOSA OF ALBINO MICE PRE-TREATED WITH DICLOFENAC SODIUM (RHEUMARENE)

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The present investigation aims to measure the effect of using the anti-ulcer drug “lansoprazole” for healing or restoration of the histochemical, ultrastructural and morphometrical aspects of the gastric mucosa of albino mice accompanying the erosive effects of pre-treatment with the NSAID “rheumarene” (diclofenac sodium). 40 adult male albino mice were used in the present study. They were divided into two groups. The first group (10 animals) served as a control group. The second group (30 animals) was treated daily with oral therapeutic dose (1.5 mg/kg body weight) of the NSAID “rheumarene” for 3 weeks, then it was divided into three sub-groups. Mice of the first sub-group did not receive any further treatment. Animals of the second and third sub-groups respectively received 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg body weight of “lansoprazole” daily for other 3 weeks. The histochemical results indicated that treatment with the therapeutic doses (1.5 mg/kg body weight) of the NSAID “rheumarene” for three weeks ha produced marked diminution of the polysaccharides, mucin protective barrier (acid & neutral mucins) as well as the mucoproteins components in the gastric mucosal cells including the surface mucous cells, mucous neck cells, peptic cells and parietal cells as well as the supporting lamina propria. Nevertheless, in the case of treatment with the therapeutic dose (1.5 mg/kg body weight) of the NSAID “rheumarene” for three weeks followed by daily treatment with the therapeutic dose (0.4 mg/kg body weight) of the anti-ulcer drug “lansoprazole” for three weeks had displayed marked partial restoration of these histochemical components in the gastric mucosal cells as deduced from their moderate stainability with magenta colouration for the general polysaccharides and mucopolysaccharides as well as blue colouration for the protein components. In the case of daily application of double the therapeutic doses (0.8 mg/kg body weight) of the abti-ulcer drug “lansoprazole” for three weeks to mice pre-treated with daily therapeutic dose (1.5 mg/kg body weight) of the NSAID “rheumarene” for three weeks the histochemical components of the gastric mucosal cells displayed conspicuous increase of the stainability. This was symptomized by the intensive purple staining of the polysaccharides and the mucin protective barrier as well as the dark blue colouration of the mucoproteins. The ultrastructure results showed conspicuous sloughing and erosion of the apical part of the surface epithelial cells with obvious diminution of their secretory mucoid droplets upon treatment with the NSAID “rheumarene”. However, these devastations were partially regenerated under the effect of the anti-ulcer drug “lansoprazole”.