Abstract

ANTI-ULCER AND ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSES OF TARAXACUM OFFICINALE (DANDELION) LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST ETHANOLINDUCED GASTRIC ULCER IN RATS

Berezi E. P.*, Uwakwe A. A., Monago-Ighorodje C. C. and Nwauche K. T.

Abstract

Objective: One of the common gastrointestinal diseases is ulcer caused by several necrotic agents. Synthetic commercial drugs had been used to cure this damage but with some side effects. The aim of this study is to investigate the antioxidant and ameliorative effects of aqueous extracts of T. officinale (T.O) on absolute ethanol - induced ulcer rats. Methods: Preliminary acute toxicity test of aqueous leaf extracts of T. officinale was performed, on which, two dose levels of 250mg/kgbw and 500mg/kgbw were selected for this study. Omeprazole (20mg/kg) was used as the standard drug. Results: Evaluation of rats treated with the extracts showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in the ulcer score index and an increase in the percentage inhibition. The catalase and glutathione antioxidant activities were reduced in the ulcer group with respect to the standard drugs and treated rats. Conclusion: These results indicate that T. officinale showed anti-ulcer and antioxidant defense properties against ethanol-induced gastric injury in a dose dependent manner.

Keywords: Taraxacum officinale extract (T.O.E), Omeprazole, Gastrointestinal, Catalase, Glutathione.