Evaluation of Anti-Gastric Ulcer Activity of the Fruit Extracts of Terminalia Bellerica Roxb in Experimental Rodents

Abstract

Terminalia bellirica Roxb (T. bellirica, Combretaceae), known as Bahera or Beleric or bastard myrobalan is a large deciduous tree common on plains and lower hills in Southeast Asia, where it is also grown as an avenue tree. Glycoside, tannins, gallic acid, ellagic acid, ethyl galate, gallyl glucose, chebulanic acid are the main active phytoconstituents of medicinal importance. These phytoconstituents are responsible for many of the pharmacological roles. Different parts of the tree have various medicinal activities. In the present study, ethyl acetate and ethanolic extract of T. bellirica fruits, at the doses of 250 and 500mg/kg was evaluated for the anti-gastric ulcer activity using experimental gastric ulcer models induced by ethanol and aspirin. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of triterpenoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrate and glycosides. The parameters taken to assess anti-gastric ulcer activity were volume of gastric secretion, pH, free acidity, total acidity, ulcer index and histopathological studies of the stomach epithelium. The results indicate that the ethanolic and ethyl acetate extract of T. bellirica fruits produced a dosedependent reduction of the volume of gastric acid secretion, pH, free acidity, total acidity and ulcer index with respect to standard (Omeprazole 20mg/kg) used in the present study. The findings therefore indicate that ethyl acetate and ethanol extract possess anti-gastric ulcer activities in experimental animals induced by alcohol and aspirin, which might be due to presence of phenolic compound and flavonoids whose presence, was confirmed by phytochemical analysis. Therefore, this study validates its anti-gastric ulcer use in Indian folk medicine. Further investigations on isolation of specific phytochemicals and elucidating mechanisms of action are needed.