The Effect of Etoricoxib, a Cyclooxygenase-2–Specific Inhibitor, on the 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine–Administered Rat Intestinal Membrane Structure and Function

ABSTRACT

To gain insight into the chemopreventive effects of etoricoxib, which is a selective inhibitor of cycloxygenase-2, a study was carried out in the procarcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine–treated rat intestine. The male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three different groups. Group 1 served as control (vehicle treated). All animals in Group 2 were given a weekly subcutaneous injection of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH; 30 mg/kg body weight) for 6 weeks. Group 3 animals were given an additional oral dose of etoricoxib (6 mg/kg body weight) along with weekly DMH injections for 6 weeks. At the end of 6 weeks of treatments, the results indicated significant alterations in the biochemical parameters, membrane lipid composition, and membrane fluorescence studies of the intestine in the presence of DMH, which were recovered nearly to the control level and, therefore, may suggest the chemopreventive efficacy of etoricoxib against the experimental intestinal cancer in rats.

KEYWORDS :

• Antioxidative Defense System
• 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine
• Etoricoxib
• Membrane Fluorescence
• Membrane Lipids
• Rat Intestine