Abstract
Context: Peptic ulcer is one of the most common diseases affecting mankind. Although there are many products used for its treatment, most of these products produce severe adverse reactions requiring the search for novel compounds. Some Afromomum species are used traditionally to cure acute gastritis.Objective: To evaluate the antiulcer activity of the methanol extract of Aframomum pruinosum Gagnepain (Zingiberaceae) seeds against two major etiologic agents of peptic ulcer disease; Helicobacter pylori and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Materials and methods: The anti-Helicobacter activity of A. pruinosum was evaluated using the broth microdilution method. After oral administration of indomethacin (5 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days, gastric ulcerated animals were divided into control group and five other groups: three groups that recieved respectively 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of plant extract, the fourth group received Maalox (50 mg/kg) and the fifth group, Misoprostol (100 μg/kg), respectively, for 5 days. Ulcer areas, gastric mucus content and nitric oxide gastric levels of animals were assessed 24 h after this treatment.Results: A. pruinosum extract shows a moderate anti-Helicobacter activity with an MIC value of 128 μg/mL. A. pruinosum extract, like Misoprostol and Maalox, markedly reduces the % of ulcerated area from 8.15 ± 0.33 to 1.71 ± 0.44% (500 mg/kg). It also increased significantly mucus and NO gastric production with respective values of 4.44 ± 1.35 and 965.81 ± 106.74 μmol/g (500 mg/kg).Discussion and conclusion: These findings suggest that A. pruinosum methanol extract possesses antiulcer properties as ascertained by the comparative decreases in ulcer areas, increase of mucus and NO gastric production.
Highlights
Gastric ulcers are defined as a breach in the mucosa of the alimentary tract, which extends through the muscularis mucosa into the submucosa or deeper (Manonmani et al 1995)
The pathogenesis of Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced gastric ulceration includes the NSAID blocking the activities of the cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2), leading to reduced mucus and bicarbonate secretion, decreased mucosal blood flow, impaired platelet aggregation, alteration of microvascular structures leading to epithelia damage (Wallace et al 2000)
The best activity was recorded with A. pruinosum methanol extract, with MIC values ranging from 128 to 512 lg/mL against 5/6 (83.33%) of the tested strains
Summary
Gastric ulcers are defined as a breach in the mucosa of the alimentary tract, which extends through the muscularis mucosa into the submucosa or deeper (Manonmani et al 1995). The gastric mucosa is constantly exposed to harmful agents such as drugs, pepsin, gastric acid, bile acids, food ingredients (Toma et al 2005). These causative factors have been associated with the pathogenesis of gastric ulcerations by means of pronounced gastric acidity, increased inflammatory markers and cell proliferation along with reduced gastric motility and gastric blood flow (Pradeepkumar Singh et al 2007). H. pylori is a major etiologic agent of peptic ulcer disease, primary gastritis, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid-tissue lymphoma, and gastric adenocarcinoma (Brown 2000). Eradication therapy of symptomatic H. pylori infection substantially reduces the recurrence of associated gastro-duodenal diseases. H. pylori is still a difficult infection to eradicate as failure rate remains at 10–40% (Lai et al 2006)
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