Untitled

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Homalium letestui Pellegr (Flacourtiaceae) used traditionally by the Ibibios of Southern Nigeria to treat stomach ulcer, malaria and other inflammatory diseases were evaluated for antiulcer activities of the stem extract and its fractions. The effects of ethanol stem extract of H. letestui (200-600 mg/kg) and fractions (Aqueous and dichloromethane, 400 mg/kg) on experimentally induced ulcer were studied in rats using ethanol, indomethacin, reserpine, and histamine-induced ulcer models. The extract (200-600 mg/kg) inhibited ethanol, indomethacin, reserpine, and histamine-induced ulcer models in a dose-dependent fashion. The various degrees of inhibitions were statistically significant (P<0.05, 0.01, 0.001). The effects of the extract/fraction were comparable to that of the standard drugs used in indomethacin and ethanol-induced ulcer models with the dichloromethane fraction having the highest activity. Thus, H. letestui extract demonstrated a good antiulcer activity which supports the use of this plant in traditional medicine.