The comparative gastric ulcerogenic activities of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

A new gastric assay was employed to screen for the ulcerogenic activity of non-steroid anti-inflammatory (NSAI) analgesic drugs. The technique involves exposing rats to brief periods of cold stress, which is not itself sufficient to cause mucosal damage, but does specifically sensitize the stomach to irritant or ulcerogenic actions of NSAI drugs. The assessment of gastric ulcerogenicity of some well-known anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs using this new assay was shown to agree well with clinical reports of the occurrence of gastric ulceration and haemorrhage. This assay was employed to screen for the ulcrogenicity of some new anti-inflammatory drugs and for potential drug interactions resulting from administration of certain frequently used combinations of these drugs.