Effect of ovariectomy and female sex hormones administration upon gastric ulceration induced by cold and immobility restraint stress

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of estrogen and progesterone administrations on gastric mucosal barrier of rats applied ovariectomy, cold and immobility stress.

METHODS: Seventy female Wistar rats, obtained from Medical Science Application and Research Center, Dicle University, Turkey on the year 2004, were divided into 10 separate groups (n=7). Nothing was applied to the animals of Group 1 (control); bilateral ovariectomy was performed on the animals of the Groups 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Groups 5 and 6 was applied 5 mg/kg 17beta-estradiol and groups 7 and 8 was applied 10 mg/kg progesterone for 7 days. The animals in the Groups 9 and 10 were applied 2.5 mg/kg 17beta-estradiol and 5 mg/kg progesterone during 7 days. The animals in the groups 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 were exposed to cold and immobility stress for 4 hours at 4degrees celsius.

RESULTS: The levels of mucus and phospholipids were decreased in the rats applied ovariectomy and stress as compared to the control groups (p<0.001). The increase determined the mucus and phospholipids levels in estrogen and progesterone administered rats as compared to stress applied group (p<0.001). While the cold and immobility stress causes important damages in gastric mucosa, estrogen and progesterone administrations has protective effects in ovariectomized rats.

CONCLUSION: The estrogen and progesterone administration prevents the stress that caused decrease in the levels of mucus and phospholipids, thus females are more resistant to gastric ulcer rather than males due to their sex hormones.