Biochemical and Immunohistological changes in the Gastric Mucosa of Rats with Long-term Administration of Histamine H2-receptor Antagonist

Abstract

Effects of long term administration of Histamine H2-receptor Antagonist (H2-RA) in the treatment of peptic ulcer was studied for the influence to the risk of causing precancerous changes in gastric mucosa. Serum gastrin, ODC activities, polyamine and PCNA labeling index were biochemicaly and immunohistologically observered. Rat's mucosae with experimentally induced peptic ulcer treated with long term H2-RA, showed no morphological changes but at 30 weeks of H2-RA, had significantly higher value in PCNA labeling index and in polyamine (spermidine) quantity compared to control H2-RA alone and ulcer alone groups. These results suggest that long term administration of H2-RA, even after healing of the ulcer, may cause the gastric mucosa to posses a milieu in favour of precancerous changes, due to the increased proliferative activity of the cells.