Abstract
Irritative effects of three steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the gastrointestinal tract of rats and dogs were determined. With either single or repeated subcutaneous administration these drugs dose dependently irritated the gastric mucosa of both species. The intestinal mucosa was less affected. Concomitant oral administration of aspirin or subcutaneous administration of indomethacin revealed an aggravation of aspirin-induced gastric ulcers by betamethasone valerate and inhibition of indomethacin-induced intestinal ulcers by betamethasone dipropionate. These two steroidal drugs had no noxious effect on healing of chronic gastric ulcers induced in rats and dogs. Betamethasone valerate, however, delayed the healing of gastric ulcer in rats. Indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, also induced serious damage to the gastric and intestinal mucosa both of rats and dogs. Indomethacin ingestion delayed the healing of chronic gastric ulcer in rats but not in dogs. Since both steroidal and non-steroidal drugs induce damage to the gastrointestinal tract, a careful monitoring of the patients' complaints should be carried out when these compounds are used as a systemic treatment. Steroidal drugs used in this study, however, appear to be highly safe from the point of dose inasmuch as they are used as a topical treatment.
