Interaction between prostacyclin and colchicine on the gastric mucosa of rat in different experimental ulcer models

The effect of prostacyclin and colchicine on the fundic gastric mucosa of adult female Wistar rats was investigated in stress (immobilization) and indomethacin induced ulcer models. Under prostacyclin treatment the ulcer index decreased significantly in both ulcer models. This effect was inhibited by colchicine. The nuclear volume of fundic epithelial cells increased significantly after application of either type of ulcerogenic stimulus. Prostacyclin did not influence the nuclear volume changes in stress ulcer, while it prevented this phenomenon in indomethacin-induced ulceration. Following colchicine treatment the nuclear volume decreased in both ulcer models. After combined prostacyclin and colchicine treatment the nuclear shrinkage remained unaltered in stress ulcer, while in indomethacin ulcer the nuclear volume decreasing effect of the separately administered drugs disappeared after combined treatment. The latter phenomenon was interpreted as an antagonistic interaction between prostacyclin and colchicine.