EJMS

Abstract

Background: Emotional stress has become more common and more severe in the current society. The relation between acute stress and peptic ulcer disease is thought to be a cause –effect relationship however; it is not yet well documented. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a short period of acute stress on the gastric mucosa and to investigate the efficiency of buspirone, as an anti anxiety drug, in preventing these effects and to compare its effect with that of esomeprazole (Nexium), as a proton bump inhibitor. Materials and Methods: Thirty two adult female albino rats were divided into four groups: A control group; a stress group in which the animals were subjected to stress through water immersion restraint, Buspirone group where the animals were given buspirone 30 minutes before being subjected to stress and the Esomeprazole group where the animals were given esomeprazole 30 minutes before being subjected to stress. Specimens from all groups were subjected to histological examination. Expression of COX-2 and PCNA was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Morphometric studies and statistical analysis have been performed. Results: Exposure to a short period of acute stress induced severe lesions in the gastric mucosa. Sloughing, degeneration, ulceration in addition to inflammatory cell infiltration and hemorrhage within the propria and submucosa have been detected. Acute stress resulted also in mild up-regulation of COX-2 and down-regulation of PCNA. Treatment with buspirone and esomeprazole had a good protective effect against acute stress-induced changes in gastric mucosa. The effect of buspirone was however, partial. Conclusions: Acute stress has a significant damaging effect on gastric mucosa. Buspirone as an anxiolytic drug has a significant protective but incomplete effect against acute stress- induced gastric mucosal injury. Therefore, a proton pump inhibitor as esomeoprazole is recommended as a gastric protective agent during any episode of stress even when anxiolytic drugs such as buspirone are given.