Abstract

GASTROPROTECTIVE AND INVIVO ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT 0F AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CUCUMIS MELO

*Vasundra Devi P.A, Sivaranjani S, Sharmila S

Abstract

Peptic ulcer is the most common GIT disorder in the present day life of the industrialized and civilized world. The prevention or cure of peptic ulcers is one of the most important challenges confronting medicine nowadays, as it is certainly a major human illness affecting nearly 8 to 10 % of the global population and of these 5% suffer from gastric ulcers. The present study was carried out to find the gastro protective effects of aqueous extract of Cucumis melo. The fruits were shade dried, powdered coarsely and extracted according to standard procedure. The gastro protective effect was analyzed by pylorus ligated method that showed significant anti-secretory activity as evidenced by decreased pepsin secretion, gastric juice volume and acid output in pylorus ligated rats. Pretreatment with extract of Cucumis melo fruit provided significant protection against the peptic ulceration caused by pyloric ligation. The findings demonstrated that aqueous extract of Cucumis melo has potent antisecretory and gastro protective effects and justify the traditional usage of this herb to treat peptic ulcer.

Keywords: Cucumis melo, pyloric ligation, gastric secretion, ulcer index.