Abstract
The gastro-protective effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Melastoma malabathricum was investigated against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injuries in rats. There were four groups of adult sprague dawley rats, consisting of six rats per group. Macroscopically, oral administration of absolute ethanol to rats that had been pre-treated with only distilled water significantly produced extensive lesions of the gastric mucosa. Oral pre-treatment with either 250 mg kgâ1 of M. malabathricum extract, 500 mg kgâ1 of M. malabathricum extract, or 20 mg kgâ1 of omeprazole 60 minutes before administration of absolute ethanol significantly reduced the formation of gastric mucosal injuries. The observed protection was significant and dose dependent in inhibiting ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. Microscopically, rats that had been pre-treated with only distilled water showed marked damage of the gastric mucosa, induced submucosal edema and leucocytes infiltration. However, animals that had been pre-treated with aqueous leaf extracts or omeprazole showed marked reduction of gastric mucosal damage, reduction of oedema and less leucocyte infiltration of submucosal layer. The results indicated that 500 mg kg-1 aqueous leaf extract of M. malabathricum provided the best protection to the gastric mucosa in rats against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers.
Highlights
MATERIALS AND METHODSMelastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae) is a common weed found throughout Malaysia
Negative control rats (Group 1) received 5 mL kg−1 distilled water; Group 2 rats received 250 mg kg-1 of M. malabathricum extract (5 mL kg−1); Group 3 rats received 500 mg kg-1 of M. malabathricum extract (5 mL kg−1); and Group 4 rats, the positive control, received 20 mg kg-1 of omeprazole (5 mL kg−1); Sixty minutes after this pre-treatment, all rats were gavaged with absolute ethanol (5 mL kg−1) and after an additional 60 minutes, the rats were all sacrificed by overdose of diethyl ether
Gross examination: The present study demonstrated that oral administration with the extract (250 or 500 mg kg−1) significantly prevented the formation of gastric mucosal ulcers and reduced ulcer formation in a dose dependent manner compared to animals administered with only distilled water (Table 1, Fig. 1 and 2)
Summary
MATERIALS AND METHODSMelastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae) is a common weed found throughout Malaysia. There is no data available regarding the anti-ulcerogenic activity of the M. malabathricum L. leaf extract. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-ulcerogenic property of the aqueous leaf extract of M. malabathricum in rats.
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