We describe the formation of severe gastric erosions produced in fasted rats by intragastric
administration of droxicam and its active species piroxicam, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs of the oxicam group. The time course of gastric damage and the possible role of
mucus secretion, changes of gastric vascular permeability, and neutrophil activation in the
development of droxicam- and piroxicam-induced astric lesions, were also investigated.
Both drugs dose-dependently (1-25-20 mg kg - ) caused acute gastric haemorrhagic
erosions in the rat. These lesions were significantly greater with piroxicam treatment 6 h
after dosing. Only the lower doses of droxicam and piroxicam (1.25 mg kg-') induced a
significant increase of mucus gel production at different times (3 and 6 h). However, there
was no increase in the concentration of its components. Oral pretreatment of the animals
with either agent did not induce any changes on the values of mucosal vascular
permeability. In contrast, myeloperoxidase activity as an index of neutrophil infiltration
was significantly increased. A marked relationship was found between the lesion index and
myeloperoxidase activity.
These results suggest that neutrophil infiltration could play an important role in the
pathogenesis of gastric mucosal injury induced by these oxicam agent
