Acute toxicity and gastric anti-ulcer activity of an aqueous extract of the leaves of Macaranga barteri Mll.Arg (Euphorbiaceae) on rat models

Abstract

Gastro-duodenal ulcers are diseases that constitute a major public health problem all over the world and particularly in Côte d'Ivoire. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity and gastric anti-ulcer activity of an aqueous extract of the leaves of Macaranga barteri (AEMb). Acute toxicity was carried out using the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines 420. The anti-ulcer activity of AEMb was evaluated using four models of gastric ulcer induction which are HCl/ethanol solution, ibuprofen solution, pylorus ligation and cold restraint stress in rats. The parameters assessed were mucus production, ulcer surface, ulcer index, pH, acid concentration and volume of gastric contents. Cimetidine, aluminium hydroxide and ranitidine were used as anti-ulcer standard drugs. The results of this preventive gastric anti-ulcer study revealed that for doses ranging from 62.5 to 500 mg/kg body weight (b.w), AEMb dose dependently prevented gastric lesion formation (p<0.001) in the four models. The inhibition values were 98.96, 94.11, 90.73 and 96.89% on ulcerations induced respectively by HCl/ethanol, ibuprofen, pylorus ligation and cold restraint stress at the dose of 500 mg/kg b.w. This cytoprotective action was accompanied by a significant increase in gastric mucus production. These results suggested that the preventive anti-ulcer activity of AEMb may be due to a cytoprotective effect. The median acute toxicity LD 50 value of AEMb was higher than 5000 mg/kg b.w. This extract was classified as nontoxic in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Phytochemical compounds such as polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids, sterols and polyterpenes found out in AEMb could be responsible for its effects. In conclusion, the antigastric ulcer and the non-toxic effects of the aqueous extract of M. barteri could justify its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastro-duodenal ulcers.

Preventive effect of Macaranga barteri Mül Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) aqueous leaf extract on amiodarone induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats

“…Therefore, these results strengthen the fact that AEMb effectively protected hepatocytes against hepatic damage from amiodarone. This decrease in the serum level of these biomarkers can be explained by the richness of this extract in secondary metabolites such as phenols, tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids [11]. Indeed, according to [21], these compounds have hepatoprotective activity.…”

“…To this, [9] showed a strong capacity of the leaf extract to inhibit lipid peroxidation and in addition, this extract would be a potential source of antioxidant. [11] also showed that the aqueous extract of the leaves of this plant exhibited anti-ulcer activities. Therefore, the preliminary study found the leaves to be effective in the treatment of liver injuries.…”

The potential of Macaranga plants as skincare cosmetic ingredients: A review

“…Another Macaranga species, M. hurifolia extract from Nigeria, showed potential for anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects (Segun et al, 2019b). Ehile et al (2018) reported that the aqueous extract of M. barteri exhibited a gastric antiulcer effect at doses ranging from 62.5 to 500 mg/kg b.w. This extract has been reported to be safe for oral medicine due to major toxic anthropometric and hematological effects not being present in tested rats, despite the fact that biochemical and histological studies are needed to ensure safe use of the extract (Ehile et al, 2018).…”

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“…Thus, new drugs with high efficacy and low toxicity are desirable for the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers. For safety and therapeutic efficacy, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends medicinal plants 12 . Medicinal plants and their extracts have an important therapeutic role against many diseases without significant side effects 13 .…”