Antiulcerogenic and mucogenic activity of xylopia aethiopica fruit extract in rat

Abstract

Prolong administration of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol, irritants and stress can cause peptic ulcer. In the present investigation, the effect of indomethacin, alcohol and hypothermia induced stress on Xylopia aethiopicafed rats was studied. Peptic ulcers were induced by oral administration of indomethacin (50mg/kg) or alcohol (10ml/kg) or 2-hour exposure to cold (15-20oC). The animals were anaesthetized, their abdomens opened and stomachs removed for macroscopic assessment of ulcers, and mucus secretion. The fruit extract of Xylopia aethiopica reduced the induced gastric ulcers caused by indomethacin and increased mucus secretion dose dependently when compared with control. Likewise, the mean gastric ulcer indexes were significantly reduced and mucus secretionincreased in the ethanol induced model when compared with control. In the hypothermic stress induced gastric ulcers, the values of the mean ulcers were also reduced significantly, but mucus secretion was only significantly higher in the high dose extract-treated group than in control. These results show that consumption of the fruit of xylopia aethiopica could reduce incidence of peptic ulcer. The increased secretion of mucus in the test animals suggests that prostaglandins might have been produced since they are known to stimulate mucus secretion. It is concluded that thefruit extract of Xylopia aethiopica stimulated mucus secretion and reduced peptic ulceration in the rat.KEYWORDS: Xylopia aethiopica, ulcer, indomethacin, alcohol, stress.