The Effects of Hydrocortisone and ACTH on the Gastric Mucosa of the Rat

Abstract

The effects of administering hydrocortisone (4 mg and 8 mg daily for 22 days) and ACTH (4 units and 8 units daily for 36 days) on the gastric mucosa of rats were assessed from the changes observed in the weight of the whole stomach, the surface area of the fundus, the height and volume of the fundic mucosa and the total parietal cell population. Both treatments reduced stomach weight and the height and volume of the fundic mucosa but the surface area of the fundus and the parietal cell population were not affected; no gastric ulcers were observed.

The results suggest that the administration of large amounts of the adrenocortical hormones inhibits the overall growth of the gastric mucosa.

Index-words:

• Stomach
• gastric mucosa
• corticotropin
• hormones
• hydrocortisone