High morbidity and mortality due to gastric ulcer made its management is a medical challenge. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) had been used for treatment of skin ulcers, some hair and bone problems as PRP contains many growth factors which make it suitable for management of gastric ulcer.

The current work was aimed to study the protective role of PRP on gastric ulcer induced by aspirin.

Forty adult male albino rats were divided into four groups. Group I; sham control, group II received PRP, group III received aspirin for induction of gastric ulcer and group IV was provided with PRP then received aspirin. All rats were sacrificed then the fundic mucosa was processed for light and scanning electron microscopic study. Paraffin sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin, mallory trichrome and combined periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and alcian blue (AB) stains. Immunohistochemical staining for iNOS and EGFR were also performed.

Aspirin had induced mucosal destruction in the form of ulceration, epithelial surface desquamation, hemorrhage, vacuolation and inflammatory cellular infiltration. Scanning electron microscopic examination of aspirin group showed decreased mucus, widening of gastric pits and cavitation of mucosal folds. PRP produced a great preservation of gastric structure in protected group (IV).

It could be concluded that aspirin caused ulcerating changes in gastric mucosa and PRP had ameliorating effects on these changes.