Abstract

STUDIES ON GASTRIC ULCER INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ITS AMELIORATION BY CLERODENDRUM PHLOMIDIS LINN. IN EXPERIMENTA RATS

S. Gopinathan* and N. Rameela

Abstract

Gastric ulcer is a major health problem both in terms of morbidity and mortality, affecting about 10% of the global population. Plant drugs are proved their efficacy as preventive as well as curative agents for gastric ulcer disease conditions. Objectives: The present study was aimed to evaluate the amelioration potential of Clerodendrum phlomidis Linn. leaf extract on oxidative stress induced by alcohol induced gastric ulcer in rats. Experimental design: Animal model in vivo study by using albino Wistar rats was carried out. The rats were divided into four groups comprising of six rats in each group and treated as follow. Group I: Healthy control, Group II: Disease control (ulcer was induced by 50% alcohol), Group III: Ulcer induced rats treated with C. phlomidis leaf extract, Group IV: Ulcer induced rats treated with ranitidine. Results obtained: Alcohol induced ulcerated rats showed increased level of ulcer index and total acidity and showed significant reduction in the levels of total protein and total carbohydrate. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and the level of non enzymatic antioxidant reduced glutathione were decreased where as the lipid peroxidation and alkaline phasphatase were increased in diseased rats and these results had given enough evidence of increased „oxidative stress‟ during the pathogenesis of gastric ulcer induced by alcohol. After treatment with C. phlomidis leaf extract activities of antioxidant enzymes and the level of non enzymatic antioxidant were increased and levels of lipid peroxidation and alkaline phosphatase were decreased in the rats. Conclusion: Treatment with C. phlomidis leaf extract significantly inhibited the alcohol induced ulcer congestion, hemorrhage and necrosis in diseased stomach which was evidenced from the resumption of various physiological and enzymological parameters. The results of the present study substantiated that the use of C. phlomidis leaf extract is ameliorated the damages caused by oxidative stress and beneficial in curing gastric ulcer. Among the phytochemicals present in the extract, ursolic acid and lupeol were identified as active pharmacological molecules responsible for the amelioration of oxidative stress, gastroprotective and ulcer curative properties.

Keywords: Gastric ulcer, Clerodendrum phlomidis leaf extract, oxidative stress, antiulcer activity, preclinical study.