Chromatographic profiles of aqueous extract of carob pods ((A) pulp and (B) seeds).

BackgroundWe aimed in the present study, at investigating the gastroprotective effect of carob pods aqueous extract (CPAE) against ethanol-induced oxidative stress in rats as well as the mechanism implicated.MethodsAdult male wistar rats were used and divided into six groups of ten each: control, EtOH (80 % v/v, 4 g/kg b.w.), EtOH 80 % + various doses of CPAE (500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, b.w.) and EtOH + Famotidine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) Animals were perorally (p.o.) pre-treated with CPAE during 15 days and intoxicated with a single oral administration of EtOH (4 g/kg b.w.) for two hours.ResultsThe colorimetric analysis demonstrated that the CPAE exhibited an importance in vitro antioxidant activity against ABTS and DPPH radicals. We found that CPAE pretreatment in vivo, protected against EtOH-induced macroscopic and histological changes induced in stomach mucosa. Carob extract administration also protected against alcohol-induced volume gastric juice decrease. More importantly, We showed that CPAE counteracted EtOH-induced gastric lipoperoxidation, reversed the decrease of sulfhydryl groups (−SH) an hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, and prevented the depletion of antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that CPAE exerted a potential gastro-protective effect against EtOH-induced oxidative stress in rats, due in part, to its antioxidants properties.