Abstract

MEDICINAL POTENTIALS OF WATERMELON SEEDS AQUEOUS EXTRACT FOR THE TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI ULCER IN RATS

*Bagudo, A. I., Aliero, A.A., Sanusi S.

Abstract

The inhibitory activity of watermelon seeds extracts was determined in vivo, using rats. Rats were divided into 3 groups of 5, 10 and 10 (n=25). Group A comprising of 5 rats was neither infected nor treated with the extract and was used as control. Group B comprising of 10 rats were orally challenged with 0.1 ml (3.0 x 104 CFU) of Helicobacter pylori and received no extract treatment and Group C comprising of 10 rats were orally challenged with 0.1 ml (3.0 x 104 CFU) of Helicobacter pylori and were orally treated twice daily with 0.5 ml of extract containing 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract at 12 hours interval for six (6) days, respectively. In group A average body weight of the rats ranges from 150 ± 1 to 154 ± 1, average body temperature of the rats ranges between 31±2 to 33±4, average food consumption of the rats ranges from 34±2g to 36±5g and Helicobacter pylori count in rats feaces was found to be zero. In group B average body weight of the rats ranges from 152 ± 1 to 138 ± 0, average body temperature of the rats ranges between 33±6 to 45±1, average food consumption of the rats ranges from 33±1g to 26±5g and Helicobacter pylori count in rats feaces was found to be raising from 7.8x105 to 9.8x105 between day-1 to day-5 after which (day 6-10) death of the rats continue to occurred as a result of no treatment. In group C average body weight of the rats ranges from 150 ± 0 to 175 ± 4, average body temperature of the rats ranges between 35±9 to 32±3, average food consumption of the rats ranges from 32±4g to 39±3g and Helicobacter pylori count in rats feaces was found to be decreasing from 9.8x105 to 1.3x195 and no death of any rat observed, suggestive the presence of bioactive compound in the watermelon seeds which could be used to treat H. pylori ulcer.

Keywords: Watermelon seeds extracts, Helicobacter pylori, Rats, Antibacterial.