The extensive use of antirheuma' tic drugs nowadaYs and their association with many gastrointestinal troubles stimulated the authors to study the histopathological changes which might affect the stomach and duodenum as a result of the administration of these drugs.
The occurrence of PePtic ulcers was reported in man after the administration of endomethacin orally (Kamal and Ahmed, 1967; Gramajo and Salomane, 1976 and Loni and Ambrogi, 1968) and in the form of suppositories (Taylor et aI, 1968).
Peptie ulcers were also produced in experimental animals when endo' methacin was given by injection (Djahanguiri, 1969). Phenylbutazone was also rePorted to cause erosive gastritis and ulceration in man and animals, Particularly
on the greater curvatute, ind malignancy was suspected in the ulcers (Kirsner and Ford, 1955; Kern, ef al 195? and Kowalezuke, 1969).  Lyle (19?4) reported the occurrence
of bleeding peptic ulcers in
patients receiving penicillamine.
Chabot et aI (1974) noted the aPpearance
of gastritis, gastroduo'
denal ulcers and melaena in Pati'
ents receiving ketoprofene.
The aim of the present work is to
further our knowledge about the
histopathological effect of antirheumatic
drugs on the gastroduodenal
mucosa.