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Abstract
Mucosal ulceration is a common lesion of the stomach and the duodenum. The bacteria Helicobacter pylori and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents can lead to gastric ulceration. Also, ethanol administration and stress can damage gastric mucosa. Melatonin, a neurohormone synthesized by the pineal gland, attenuates acute gastric lesions induced by strong irritants by scavenging free radicals which are the main cause of mucosal damage. The protective action of melatonin is through activation of melatonin receptors that may cause enhancement of gastric microcirculation, activation of brain-gut axis, and release of gastrin. This work focuses on the effect of melatonin on experimentally induced gastric mucosal damage in adult male albino rat. Material and Methods: Sixty adult male albino rats weighting 200-250 gram were used in this study and were randomly divided into four groups: Group I: (control group) 6 rats kept without any drug intake and were not exposed to any type of stress and sacrificed as experimental groups. Group II: (melatonin treated group) 6 rats were given melatonin orally daily in a dose of 30 mg/kg for 7 days.