Effect of adrenalectomy and administration of prednisolone on gastric ulcer formation in forestomachectomized Shay albino rats.

The gastric ulcerogenic effect of the glucocorticoid, prednisolone, was studied in albino rats. Shay operation in forestomachectomized rats with intact adrenals induced acute gastric ulcers in the corpus, whereas adrenalectomy prevented the development of gastric ulcers in another group of forestomachectomized Shay rats. Only superficial erosion of gastric epithelium was noticed in 66.67% of these rats. Administration of prednisolone to another group of similarly operated rats increased the number and severity of gastric ulceration, whether the adrenals were ablated or otherwise. From the observation of acid and mucous content of the stomach, it is postulated that the reduced mucous secretion may be an important predisposing factor in gastric ulcerogenic effect of steroids.