Anti-Ulcer (Ulcer-Preventive) Activity of Ficus arnottiana Miq. (Moraceae) Leaf Methanolic Extract

Abstract

Problem statement: In spite of being one of the well-known medicinal plants used in Indian traditional medicine to treat several ailments, studies pertaining to the pharmacological properties of Ficus arnottiana are very scarce. We studied the anti-ulcer activity and acute toxicity of Ficus arnottiana leaf methanolic extract for the first time. Approach: Freshly collected F. arnottiana leaves were dried, powdered and extracted in methanol. To study the anti-ulcer activity, Wistar rats were orally administered with different doses of the extract (0, 250 and 500 mg kg −1 body weight day −1 ) or with the reference drug omeprazole (8 mg kg −1 ) for 10 days. After induction of ulcer using 5 mL kg −1 ethanol, stomachs of these animals were analyzed for gastric volume, ulcer area and gross pathological changes. Results: Our results showed that F. arnottiana methanolic extract could prevent ulcer in rats in a dose-dependent manner. Histological studies revealed that the extract had mucoprotective activity. The extract did not show any acute toxicity even at the dose of 5000 mg kgindicating that the extract has no lethal effect. Preliminary phytochemical screening of this extract identified the presence of important secondary metabolites like flavonoids and tannins. Conclusion/Recommendations: From this study, it is clear that F. arnottiana leaf extract had significant anti-ulcer activity in animal models. It had muco-protective activity and gastric antisecretary activity. The extract is non-toxic even at relatively high concentrations.

Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Ulcer Activity of Ethanol and Ethyl Acetate Extracts of Tecomaria Capensis Leaves

“…The latter can be achieved through increasing mucus production, stabilizing the surface epithelial cells or interfering with the prostaglandin synthesis. In addition, there are also drugs, such as proton pump inhibitors, histamine (H2)-antagonists, anti-cholinergic and antacids used in the treatment of ulcer 29 . Despite the availability of many pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastric ulcers in the market as mentioned above, their success were limited by presence of several adverse effects (e.g.…”

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“…In the acute toxicity study, the T. dioica extract, at the dose of 5000 mg/kg, exhibited no signs of toxicity. According to toxicologists throughout the world, any test substance that is not lethal on acute administration at a concentration of 5000 mg/kg body weight is essentially nontoxic 33 . Based on the toxicity study, the current doses regime (250 and 500 mg/kg) was chosen for the antiulcer study.…”

PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANTI-ULCER ACTIVITY OF Cymbopogon flexuosus

“…11 Free and total acidity were estimated titrimetrically with 0.1 N NaOH using methyl orange and phenolphthalein as indicators. 12 The following parameters were also measured:…”