Prevention of Psychological Stress Induced-Ulcer in rats Treated with Fruit Extract of Gymnospora montana

Abstract

Gymnosporia montana (Roth) Bemth. is a traditional herbaceous plant of Celastraceous family found in different regions of India. We have earlier reported its antiulcer activity in aspirin-induced, pylorus-ligation induced, and cysteamine-induced ulcer models. As stress-induced ulcer amount to a majority of clinically evident ulcers, it was thought worthy to investigate the effects of the ethanolic extract of Gymnosporia montana in stress-induced ulcer paradigm. Psychological stress was produced by intra-species emotional communication in a jumping box. Rats were randomly divided into two groups; one was used as the ‘sender’ group that received electrical foot shocks of 10 s duration with 50 s intervallic current for the shock was increased stepwise from 10mA to 25mA. The animals showed emotional responses such as abnormal squealing and jumping. The other group called the ‘responder’ group were able to observe the ‘sender’ group mice but were not subjected to the shocks. A separate group of sender rats was used on each day. The receiver group was exposed to sender group for three consecutive days at the end of which, they were sacrificied and were observed for the presence of gastric lesions. Separate groups of rats were treated half an hour before with Ethanolic extract (500mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (5mg/kg, p.o.) and the protocol was repeated. At the end the ulcer index, pH of gastric contents and gastric volume was determined. Further, hisotopathology was also performed. Results revealed a good anti-ulcer activity which was comparable to that of diazepam. In conclusion, the present study affords a significant contribution in confirmation of the forklore effects of a traditional remedy.