Abstract:Objective To establish rat models of adjuvant arthritis and to investigate the effects of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors on small intestinal mucosa.Methods Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, model control group, blank administration group and model administration group. The model control group and model administration group were injected with Freund's complete adjuvant at the right rear footpad, and the blank control group and blank administration group were given the same amount of normal saline. After 1 week, the blank administration group and model administration group were given celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, dissolved in 1% methyl cellulose by gavage for 28 days, and the blank control group and model control group were given the same volume of solvents. The gross mucosal injury and pathological scores of small intestinal mucosa were observed after the rats were sacrificed. The level of prostaglandin in the end segment of small intestine was detected by ELISA.Results There was no difference in the foot perimeter at the 7th day of modeling between the model control group and the model administration group (P > 0.05), but the foot perimeter at the 7th day of modeling was different between the former two groups and the blank control group and the blank administration group, respectively (P < 0.05). However, no difference was found between the blank control group and the blank administration group (P < 0.05). The area of small intestinal mucosal injury was different between the blank control group and the model control group, and also between the blank administration group and the blank control group (P < 0.05). The pathological scores of small intestinal mucosa were not different among the model control group, blank administration group and the model administration group (P > 0.05), yet those in the former three groups were different from those in the blank control group (P < 0.05). The level of intestinal prostaglandin in the model control group and model administration group was lower than that in the blank control group (P < 0.05), and that in the model control group was lower compared with the blank administration group (P < 0.05).Conclusions Celecoxib causes intestinal mucosal injury in rats. The small intestinal injury is present in rats with adjuvant arthritis, and celecoxib may increase the area of small intestinal mucosal injury while not aggravating the degree of injury. The injury induced by celecoxib is comparable between the arthritis and normal rats. The reduction in the level of prostaglandin is potentially associated with the small intestinal mucosal injury caused by systemic inflammation but may not be the primary or initiating event of intestinal injury caused by COX-2 inhibitor.