Antioxidants as agents reducing the toxicity of indomethacin

Simulataneous oral administration of butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) (50 or 100 mg/kg) with indomethacin (IND) (3, 6 or 20 mg/kg) prevented the damaging effect of IND on the rat gastric mucosa. Butylhydroxyanisole (BHA) and nordihydroguiaretic acid (NDGA) rather potentiated than prevented the noxious action of IND. A reduction of IND toxicity without affecting its anti-inflammatory action seems to be possible to achieve by concomitant administration of IND with BHT.