Histopathological Effects of Repeated Low-Dose Aspirin Administration on the Stomach and Duodenum of Male Albino Rats

Abstract

Aspirin is a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic, antipyretic, and antiplatelet properties. Despite its mounted healing blessings, repeated exposure may additionally impair gastrointestinal mucosal integrity and increase the threat of gastric and intestinal damage. The present study aims to investigate the histopathological results of repeated oral administration of aspirin on the stomach and duodenum of twelve adult male of albino rats. The control group acquired no aspirin, while the treatment group acquired aspirin at a dose of 13.2 mg/kg/day by way of orogastric gavage for 14 consecutive days. After experiments, animals were euthanized underneath anesthesia, and stomach and duodenal tissues were amassed, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin,and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Histopathological changes had been evaluated in both organs using lesion scoring. At baseline, there was no significant differencein body weight between control and aspirin-treated groups (221.6 ± 13.29, 225.0 ± 12.24 g, respectively; P= 0.66). After 14 days, the control group showed an increase in body weight to 233.3 ± 15.05 g, whereas Aspirin-treated group showed a decrease to 215.8 ± 9.70 g, with a significant differences (P = 0.03) between the groups. The histopathological examination of these animals revealed gastric epithelial degeneration, mucosal abrasion and ulcerative/wound repair changes, inflammatory cell infiltration, vasoconstriction, and hemorrhagic changes. In the duodenum, epithelial degeneration, villous damage, inflammatory cell infiltration, edema, and congestive and hemorrhagic changes were observed. Overall, lesion severity was greater in the aspirin-treated animals than in the control animals across the histopathological parameters evaluated. Repeated oral administration of aspirin up to 13.2 mg/kg/day for 14 days induced marked histopathological changes within the gastric and duodenal mucosa of adult male albino rats, accompanied by a reduction in body weight. The findings provide experimental evidence of gastrointestinal mucosal injury after repeated aspirin administration. Further studies using larger model sizes, two dose scores, quantitative morphometry, and molecular biomarkers to elucidate dose-response timelines and underlying mechanisms