Investigation of damage effects by antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive doses of dexamethasone on mice´s gastric mucosal

Abstract

Abstract Dexamethasone is a powerful glucocorticoid and it may result in some adverse effects, but it is uncertain whether they are ulcerogenic to the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive dose’s effect of dexamethasone in production gastric mucosal damage in Swiss Webster mice. Forty females mice were separated in 3 groups. In the Group I (n=16), the animals received 5 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal route (IP) of dexamethasone (immunosuppressive dose); Group II (n=16): 1.25 mg/kg/day IP (antiinflammatory dose); and in Group III (n=8), saline solution IP (control group). The animals were sacrificed and necropsied at 3, 6, 9 and 12 days post-inoculation. Stomach, adrenal and sternal were collected and processed for microscopy studies. Global and specific counts of white blood cell were made in five animals in each group each three days. Macroscopic and histological alterations on gastrointestinal tract were not found in the different groups. In two mice of group I and in two of group II, balloon degeneration in adrenal cells was observed. In one animal of group I hepatic steatosis was found. The immunosuppressed animals presented leucopenia with lymphopenia, neutrofilia and monocytopenia and in those submitted to antiinflammatory doses it was noticed only leucopenia with lymphopenia. The control group kept the count inside of the normality. Gastric mucosal damage with the use of antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive doses was not observed by using intraperitoneal route. Complementary studies comparing different administration routes, doses, experimental animals and preparations of glucocorticoid must be lead before remove a ulcerogenic role of this medicine group.