Evaluation of the antioxidant and anti-ulcer activities of the ethanolic extract of Fumaria officinalis

Abstract

Fumaria officinalis which belong to the Papaveraceae family is used to treat stomach-related ailments in Iraqi folk medicine. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-ulcer and antioxidant activities of a 70% ethanol extract of F. officinalis . Extracts of the aerial parts F. officinalis at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight and the standard drug, esomeprazole at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight were orally administered daily for 21 days after ulcer induction. The rats were sacrificed, and their stomachs were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic studies. The ethanolic extract showed a significant curative effect on ethanol-induced ulcer compared to the effects observed in the control and esomeprazole groups, especially at 400 mg/kg. Haematoxylin-eosin staining revealed remarkable improvement in gastric mucosal alteration, especially in rats treated with 400 mg/kg F. officinalis compared to the control. F. officinalis had high DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC 50 : 189.2 ± 0.31 µg/mL) compared to ascorbic acid (215.5 ± 2.41 µg/mL). Further, HPLC analysis of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of rutin, quercetin, ferulic, and p-coumaric acid in various quantities. In silico , rutin and quercetin were found to have the highest affinities of -9.4 and -7.6 kcal/mol, respectively with human H+/K+-ATPase α chain active sites, and the highest binding site energy values with Na+/K+-ATPase and pig gastric H+/K+- ATPase, respectively. Altogether, F. officinalis may be a potential candidate for the treatment of gastric ulcers. • Fumaria officinalis ethanolic extract treated ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. • Gastric ulcer healing mode of action of Fumaria officinalis involves inhibition H+/K+-ATPase, which is mediated mainly by rutin and quercetin. • In vitro antioxidant was assessed by DPPH, TPC and TFC assay. • HPLC analysis of ethanolic extract demonstrated the existence of flavonoids and phenolic acid in different quantities.