In vitro antioxidant activity and gastroprotective effect of ethanolic extract from Cucumis melo L. var. inodorus fruit on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the content of polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins and to evaluate the antioxidant property and the antiulcer activity of the ethanolic extract of melon (Cucumis melo L. var. inodorus) pulp on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Ferric reducing power and hydroxyl radical scavenging tests were applied to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity. The polyphenolic and flavonoids contents of melon extract were found to be 56.5 ± 2.49 mg GAE/g of dry extract and 0.43 ± 0.09 mg QE/ g of dry extract, respectively. Whereas the tannins content was 48. 30 ± 0. 9 mg ETA/ g of dry extract. Melon pulp extract exhibited a good reducing potential with an EC50 of 4.23 ± 0.08 mg/ml and high hydroxyl radical scavenging activity with IC50 of 1.83± 0.09 mg/ml. Oral administration of the melon pulp extract at doses of 200 and 600 mg/kg to rats reduced gastric mucosal lesions dose-dependently with percentage protection of 56.56 and 93.79% compared to omeprazole (95.92 %) as reference drug. These results showed that the melon pulp extract had a good antioxidant activity and gastroprotective potential suggesting it use as an adjuvant in the treatment of gastric ulcer.
 Keywords: Cucumis melo var. inodorus, Polyphenols, Flavonoids, Tannins, Ulcer, Rat.