Indomethacin-induced enteropathy: effect of the drug regimen on intestinal permeability in rats.

To set up and characterize reproducible, long-standing small intestinal inflammation in rats, animals were given three different oral regimens of indomethacin (Ind): a bolus of 10 mg/kg in water and three daily doses of 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg Ind in (a) the drinking water or (b) the standard diet. The effect of Ind on the small intestine was monitored by measuring intestinal permeability (IP). The three-day regimen seemed more suitable than a bolus dose to induce long-standing inflammatory modifications in the rat small intestine and Ind administered in the drinking water gave more consistent modifications of IP and more reproducible results than Ind in food. IP seemed a suitable tool for detecting these inflammatory changes in the small-intestinal physiology. This model could be used to assess the effect of new drugs on inflammation.