Research on Gastric Ulcer Model in Mini-Pig

Purpose: For its simple handling, small size, and analytical and physiological similarities to humans, the mini-pig has been in high demand in the basic and clinical research fields. It has been used in numerous clinical studies to mimic a wide range of ailments, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, bone abnormalities, skin infections, and gastrointestinal ailments. It could be the most useful animal model for studying gastrointestinal diseases including gastric ulcers.

Materials and Methods: In this experiment, Sus scrofa female mini-pig weighing around 30 kg was employed. Animals were fasted for 48 hours with free access to drinking water after a week of acclimation, followed by an endoscopic intra-gastric acetic acid injection. Mini-pigs were divided into two groups, each with two mini-pigs. Endoscopy was used to examine the process of gastric ulcer development at the time of injection, on the 7th day, and on the 14th day. On the 14th day after the drug injection, an autopsy was performed, followed by a stomach tissue analysis.

Results: Gastric ulcer was induced very efficiently in mini-pig animal with clearly visible signs of necrosis, inflammation and mineralization. The therapeutic qualities of famotidine were proven when illness symptoms were significantly reduced.

Conclusion: We found that mini-pig can be an effective and practical species for inducing gastric ulcers, with a high resemblance to humans, and can be used in a variety of preclinical research. Animal models that are being used to study digestive diseases are important for understanding of pathogenesis of these disorders and testing new therapies.