Effect of Ibuprofen, Ponstan and Panadol oral suspensions on the gastrointestinal mucosal layer in mice

Antipyretic drugs such as suspensions of mefenamic acid (ponstan), Ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) are the most common drugs that wildly used in children to decrease the fever, pain and inflammation. From clinical observations of children using these drugs, they cause gastrointestinal complications and from this, the idea of this research was to find the effect of these drugs on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract in Swiss albino mice. In the present study, we used 30 mice classified into five groups including G1 as control group, G2 received 15 mg/kg/day panadol, G3, 30 mg/kg/day ibuprofen, G4, 5 mg/kg/day ponstan and G5, a combination of panadol and ibuprofen in the same previously- mentioned doses for 7 days respectively. The gastric histological sections of G2 exhibited normal mucosal; G4 displayed mild mucosal glandular hyperplasia; while G3 and G5 e appeared flat mucosal surface with submucosal hyperplasia of gland mild atypical cells; and G2 revealed mucosal glandular hyperplasia. The intestine histological sections of G2 appeared normal intestinal villi with mild inflammatory cells infiltration; G3 showed dispersed slight shortening of intestinal villi with mild inflammatory cells infiltration; finally, G4 and G5 indicated villi hyperplasia with a slight widening of villi with mild inflammatory cells infiltration. NSAIDs are available over-the-counter drugs for adult and in paediatric population and are considered as a safe medicine if used in properly dose in the short-term. The decision to pick an antipyretic should be dictated by safety, efficacy, effectiveness, duration of action and the integrity of the patient gut.