English

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To study the possible antiulcerogenic property of quercetin, and to compare it with standard drug ranitidine. METHODS: The study was carried out in two ulcer models i.e alcohol model and indomethacin model. Both the models consist of 3 groups (control, standard control, test compound groups) of 6 rats each. The control group received only ulcerogen whereas the standard control group and test compound group were pretreated with ranitidine and quercetin respectively for 5 days before exposure to ulcerogen. On 5th day the rats were sacrificed, stomach dissected out and opened. Ulcer grading was done and ulcer index was calculated. Statistical analysis was done by using Student's t test. p value of < 0.05 was considered for statistical significance. RESULTS: In Alcohol model, the rats pretreated with quercetin showed highly significant protection (p < 0.001) when compared to control group and significant protection when compared to ranitidine pretreated group (p < 0.05). In indomethacin model, both quercetin and ranitidine pretreated groups showed significant protection when compared to control group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Present study indicates that quercetin is highly effective in preventing ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage (better than ranitidine) and equally effective as ranitidine in preventing indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal damage.