Ultrastructural study of the effect of hydrocortisone on the fundic glands in albino rats and the possible protective role of lycopene

Hydrocortisone is widely used in the treatment of a variety of conditions. A common side effect of its use is gastritis and peptic ulceration. Lycopene is one of the major carotenoids in diet, particularly in tomato and tomato products. It is an active antioxidant that has recently received great concern for its protective effect against several pathological lesions. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of hydrocortisone on the ultrastructure of fundic glands of albino rats and the possible protective effect of lycopene. The study was conducted on 20 adult male albino rats that were divided into four equal group: group I [control group], group II [positive control group] that received by gastric intubation a lycopene rich diet "Ketchup" which was calculated to equal a dose of 1 mg/Kg b.w./day, group III [treated group] that received intraperitoneal injection of hydrocortisone in a dose of 50 mg/Kg b.w./day, and group IV [protected group] that received lycopene simultaneously with hydrocortisone. The duration of the experiment was 20 days. Examination of the fundic glands of the treated group revealed ultrastructural changes in all the lining cells. In the protected group, such changes were almost completely absent