Evaluation of Antiulcer Activity of Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Treculia africana (Moraceae)

Abstract

Background: Treculiaafricana is a vegetable crop and medicinal plant belonging to the family Moraceae. It is widely grown as a nutritional tree fruit widely cultivated in the South-eastern ecological zone of Nigeria and humid rain forest of South-west Cameroon and used in the local management of diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension.

Objective: This study is primarily designed to evaluate the antiulcer activity of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Treculia africana(TA). Materials and methods: The antiulcer activity of TA administered orally at doses of 50, 100,200 and 400 mg/kg was evaluated using the ethanol, indomethacin, pylorus ligation and cold restraint-stress induced gastric ulcer models in rats.

Results: In the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model, there was significant reduction (p<0.05) in the ulcer index by the extract (50 - 400 mg/kg).TAat the dose of 400 mg/kg produced the lowest ulcer index corresponding to 81.12% protection, a value comparable to 85.48% protection produced by 50 ug/kg of misoprostol. In the indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer model, a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the ulcer index by the extract (50 - 400 mg/kg) was observed. The extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg produced the lowest ulcer index corresponding to 62.55% protection which was lesser than the effect of ranitidine (50 mg/kg; 90.64% protection). At the dose of400 mg/kg,TA produced 22.81 % inhibition which was far less than the 68.62% value of omeprazole (50 mg/kg) for the pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer model. Also in this model, the extract elicited a significant reduction in the volume of gastric secretion at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg while its effect on the pH of the gastric secretion was not significa nt when compared to control. In the cold restraint-stress induced gastric ulcer model, TA(400 mg/kg)produced 41.34% inhibition of ulcer development while the value for misoprostol (50 ug/kg) was higher (58.49%).

Conclusion: The results obtained in this study show that the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Treculiaafricanapossesses antiulcer activity mediated possibly via gastric mucosa protection mechanisms