Antiulcer Potential of Extracts of Urena lobata Plant Leaves

Abstract

The plant belonging to the family Malvaceae, the scanty availability of information on this plant facilitates the study on it. Entire plants of Urena lobata were collected from India. The Leaves of plant were shade dried, reduced to coarse powder with the help of grinder and stored in airtight container till further use. The phytoconstituents were extracted by using different solvent of increasing polarity like chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, ethanol and water. The acute toxicity test aims an establishing the therapeutic index, i.e. the ratio between the pharmacologically effective dose and the lethal dose on the same strain and species (LD50/ED50). In any screening program, acute toxicity on mice/rat is usually performed first. Acute oral toxicity was performed used the Up and down method, OECD Guideline 425 (Revised: 17 December 2001) The single dose of aqueous extract of leaves of Urena lobata was used for the acute oral toxicological study for appreciating the usefulness of the chosen plant ant in understanding the effects of the same in relation to the gastric ulcer. LD50 / tolerable dose are estimated in rats. We were found that the animals were safe and no mortality was observed up to 2000mg/kg body weight. It records that LD50 determination of the aqueous extract of leaves of Urena lobata are > 2000mg/kg body weight. Extract of leaves of Urena lobata on alcohol- induced gastric ulceration in rats on different dose were tested (10, 15 and 20mg/kg body weight) the % protection range was observed from 26.33 to 71.14 (standard drugs omeprazole),. 54.18 observed on 20mg/kg dose. Keywords: Urena lobata, Acute oral toxicity, alcohol- induced gastric ulceration, anti-ulcer