The role of glucocorticoids in healing of indomethacin-induced lesions in the rat gastric mucosa

Pretreatment with a single large dose of cortisol a week before indomethacin administration, or an adrenalectomy induced a glucocorticoid production deficiency in rats. The area of gastric erosions in these rats was considerably larger than in the control animals in 4, 24, and 48 hours after the indomethacin administration. Administration of corticosterone noticeably prompted the healing of the erosions in the rats with glucocorticoid deficiency. The findings suggest a gastroprotective effect of glucocorticoids in healing of indomethacin-induced mucosal injury.