Evaluation of Antiulcer Activity of Ethanol Extract of Leaves of Lactuca sativa

In this modern era, gastrointestinal disorders are the universal problem. Peptic ulcer is one of the major diseases affecting the human population. It develops due to the imbalance between aggressive factors like acid, pepsin, H. pylori and bile salts and defensive factors like mucous, bicarbonate, blood flow, epithelial cell restoration and prostaglandins. The anti-ulcer activity of Ethanol extract of leaves of Lactuca sativa (EELS) was estimated using the experimental models of acute gastric lesions induced by ethanol, pylorus ligation and cold restraint stress in Wistar albino rats. Animals pre-treated with doses of 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg of EELS were statistically analyzed and compared to the standard and control group with the parameters like volume of gastric secretion, total acidity and ulcer index. The results suggested that EELS significantly decreased volume of gastric acid secretion, total acidity and ulcer index in comparison with standard drug Omeprazole. EELS shown significant reduction in lesion index, total affected area and percentage of lesion in comparison with control group in Ethanol induced ulcer in experimental models. The gastric mucosal protective effect of EELS is brought by inhibiting the gastric secretion, which shows it may act like a proton pump inhibitor. Thus the present study indicates that EELS has anti-ulcerogenic potency in Ethanol induced, pylorus ligation and cold restraint stress induced ulcers in rats. Keywords: Antiulcer, ulcer index, cold stress, peptic ulcer, pylorus ligation

The Use of Pistacia Lentiscus Chia Resin versus Omeprazole in Protecting Male Rats Peptic Mucosa against Cold Restraint Stress

IntroductionPeptic mucosal damage induced by acute stress is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. The study aimed to investigate the protective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of pretreatment with Chios mastic gum (CMG), a traditionally consumed herbal resin naturally deriving from the trunk of Pistacia Lentiscus var. Chia compared to Omeprazole, a standard medication used in the prevention and treatment of gastritis, against the effects of cold restraint stress (CRS) in rat gastric and colonic mucosa.MethodsTwenty-one male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: Control (C), Omeprazole (O), and CMG (M), according to the pre-treatment regime, and were subjected to CRS at 40C for 3 hours. The gastric and colonic mucosal lesions were histologically assessed. ELISA measured blood concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TEAC).ResultsIn both groups, O and M, gastric mucosal hyperemia, haemorrhagic infiltration and mucosal oedema, as well as colonic mucosal hyperaemia and haemorrhagic infiltration were significantly reduced compared to the controls (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed between Groups O and M. TNF-α levels were significantly lower in group M compared to Group O (p=0.013). IL-1β levels were significantly depressed in groups M and O compared to control (p≤ 0.001). The activity of both peroxidase and SOD enzymes decreased in group M compared to group O (p= 0.043 and p=0.047 respectively) and the control (p=0.018 and p< 0.001 respectively).ConclusionsThe natural Chios mastic gum is a promising nutritional supplement with protective properties to the peptic mucosa against CRS, exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Evaluation of Antiulcerogenic Activity of Clerodendron Infortunatum Extract on Albino Rat Gastric Ulceration

Clerodendron infortunatum Linn. (Verbenaceae) is an important and widely used medicinal plant, reported to contain active bitter substance like clerodin, has been widely used as tonic and anthelmintic agent in the country sides of North India. Though, variously used in Ayurveda, Unani system of medicine and Homeopathy in case of ailments like diarrhoea, skin disorders, venereal and scrofulous complaints, wounds, post-natal complications, as vermifuge, laxative and cholagogue, for the removal of ascarids in anus, as external applications on tumours, etc., Background: The present study reports the antiulcer properties of 50% ethanolic extract of Clerodendron infortunatum Linn. (Verbenaceae) leaves have assessed in different acute and chronic gastric ulcer models in rats. Methods: EECI (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally, twice daily for 5 days for prevention from ethanol (EtOH), Cold-restraint stress (CRS), Pylorus-ligation (PL) and 10 days for prevention of acetic acid induced ulcers. Results: The EECI showed significant gastric ulcer protective effect in doses of 400 mg/kg, when given twice daily for 5 days against gastric ulcers induced by ethanol (EtOH), cold restraint stress (CRS) and pyloric ligation (PL). EECI showed dose dependent decrease in ulcer index (UI) against ulcers induced by: (i) Ethanol (control UI: 29.52±2.4 mm2/rat, EECI decrease 21.12±2.3 – 5.3±1.0 (ii) Cold restraint stress (CRS) (control UI: 32.13±2.1, EECI decrease 24.02±2.2 – 4.7±1.1 (iii) pylorus ligation (control UI: 29.25±2.4 mm2/rat, EECI decrease 22.32±2.7 – 5.3±1.0, EECI 400 mg/kg significantly healed ulcers induced by 50% acetic acid after 5 (control UI: 32.30 ± 2.9, EECI decrease 26.27±1.9 – 8.56±0.98 and after 10 days treatment (control UI: 29.02 ± 2.6, healing 21.28±2.1 – 5.78±1.2. EECI prevents the oxidative damage of gastric mucosa by blocking lipid peroxidation and by significant decrease in superoxide dismutase, and increase in catalase activity. Conclusions: Our results show that Clerodendron infortunatum Linn. (Verbenaceae) possess significant gastro-protective activity which might be due to gastric defence factors and clerodin might be the main constituents responsible for this activity.

In Vivo Gastroprotective and Antidepressant Effects of Iridoids, Verbascoside and Tenuifloroside from Castilleja tenuiflora Benth

Stress is an important factor in the etiology of some illnesses such as gastric ulcers and depression. Castilleja tenuiflora Benth. (Orobanchaceae) is used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and nervous disorders. Previous studies indicated that organic extracts from C. tenuiflora had gastroprotective effects and antidepressant activity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective and antidepressant activity of fractions and isolated compounds from the methanolic extract (MECt) of C. tenuiflora in stressed mice. Chromatographic fractionation of MECt produced four fractions (FCt-1, FCt-2, CFt-3, and FCt-4) as well as four bioactive compounds which were identified using TLC, HPLC and NMR analyses. The cold restraint stress (CRS)-induced gastric ulcer model followed by the tail suspension test and the forced swim test were used to evaluate the gastroprotective effect and antidepressant activity of the extract fractions. FCt-2 and FCt-3 at 100 mg/kg had significant gastroprotective and antidepressant effects. All isolated compounds (verbascoside, teniufloroside and mixture geniposide/ musseanoside) displayed gastroprotective effects and antidepressant activity at 1 or 2 mg/kg. The above results allow us to conclude that these polyphenols and iridoids from C. tenuiflora are responsible for the gastroprotective and antidepressant effects.

Antiulcer Activity of Methanolic Extract of Roots of Beta vulgaris, Chenopodiaceae

Beta vulgaris (chenopodiacea) is a medicinal plant reported for its variety of ethnic medicinal uses. Beta vulgaris showed antioxidant, anticancer, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, wound healing, and anti-inflammatory activities. Hence we have planned to screen antiulcer activity of root of the plant with the methanolic extract. Root powders successively extracted with methyl alcohol and were subjected for phytochemical screening to identify different phytoconstituents. The methanolic extracts of roots of Beta vulgaris were investigated for ulcer protective activity against pyloric-ligation, ethanol induced gastric lesion and cold restraint stress induced ulcers. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, sterols, and alkaloids. The extract was tested for their lethal effect up to the dose level of 2000 mg/kg. None of them have produced abnormal behavior or mortality in rats. Further methanolic extract of 200 and 400 mg/kg/p.o significantly (p˂0.01) reduced the ulcer score, ulcer number, ulcer index, free acidity and total acidity in pyloric-ligation, ethanol induced gastric lesion and cold restraint stress induced ulcer models in rats. The present study revealed that the root extract of Beta vulgaris has antiulcer activity.