Evaluation of Gastric Mucosal Damage

The rats were sacrificed after the stress protocols were completed. Their stomachs were removed and incised along the greater curvature of stomach, then rinsed with normal saline. Gastric mucosal lesions were identified with a magnifying lens. The erosion index (EI) was measured according to the methods of Guth (1992). Scores were made according to the length of the lesion: the length ≤1 mm as 1 score, 1 mm < the length ≤2 mm as 2 score, and the others were deduced in turn. The score was multiplied by 2 when the width of the lesion was larger than 1 mm. The cumulative scores of all lesions in a rat served as the EI of the rat.